Annual precipitation in Japan
Japan: Annual precipitation was 1,642 millimeters in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
1,642 millimeters
Change on year
down 16.0%
World rank
42nd
of 192 countries
All-time high
2,346 millimeters
in 1972
All-time low
1,147 millimeters
in 1943
Years of data
86
1940–2025
Annual precipitation in Japan, 1940–2025
Source: Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in millimeters.
Analysis
The most recent figure for annual precipitation in Japan is 1,642 millimeters, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 16.0% on the previous year and down 12.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual precipitation in Japan peaked at 2,346 millimeters in 1972 and was at its lowest, 1,147 millimeters, in 1943.
Japan ranks 42nd of 192 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 86 years of available data.
Annual precipitation in Japan, year by year
| Year | millimeters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1940 | 1,311 millimeters | — |
| 1941 | 1,538 millimeters | +17.3% |
| 1942 | 1,150 millimeters | -25.2% |
| 1943 | 1,147 millimeters | -0.2% |
| 1944 | 1,312 millimeters | +14.4% |
| 1945 | 1,956 millimeters | +49.0% |
| 1946 | 1,348 millimeters | -31.1% |
| 1947 | 1,498 millimeters | +11.1% |
| 1948 | 1,498 millimeters | -0.0% |
| 1949 | 1,595 millimeters | +6.5% |
| 1950 | 1,520 millimeters | -4.7% |
| 1951 | 1,515 millimeters | -0.4% |
| 1952 | 1,643 millimeters | +8.5% |
| 1953 | 1,859 millimeters | +13.1% |
| 1954 | 1,708 millimeters | -8.1% |
| 1955 | 1,743 millimeters | +2.0% |
| 1956 | 1,812 millimeters | +4.0% |
| 1957 | 1,823 millimeters | +0.6% |
| 1958 | 1,766 millimeters | -3.1% |
| 1959 | 1,884 millimeters | +6.7% |
| 1960 | 1,632 millimeters | -13.4% |
| 1961 | 1,780 millimeters | +9.1% |
| 1962 | 1,704 millimeters | -4.2% |
| 1963 | 1,764 millimeters | +3.5% |
| 1964 | 1,804 millimeters | +2.3% |
| 1965 | 1,789 millimeters | -0.8% |
| 1966 | 1,982 millimeters | +10.8% |
| 1967 | 1,698 millimeters | -14.3% |
| 1968 | 1,783 millimeters | +5.0% |
| 1969 | 1,788 millimeters | +0.3% |
| 1970 | 1,766 millimeters | -1.3% |
| 1971 | 1,923 millimeters | +8.9% |
| 1972 | 2,346 millimeters | +22.0% |
| 1973 | 1,673 millimeters | -28.7% |
| 1974 | 1,886 millimeters | +12.7% |
| 1975 | 2,014 millimeters | +6.8% |
| 1976 | 2,040 millimeters | +1.3% |
| 1977 | 1,807 millimeters | -11.4% |
| 1978 | 1,574 millimeters | -12.9% |
| 1979 | 2,028 millimeters | +28.8% |
| 1980 | 2,038 millimeters | +0.5% |
| 1981 | 1,728 millimeters | -15.2% |
| 1982 | 1,796 millimeters | +4.0% |
| 1983 | 1,791 millimeters | -0.3% |
| 1984 | 1,375 millimeters | -23.2% |
| 1985 | 1,790 millimeters | +30.2% |
| 1986 | 1,541 millimeters | -13.9% |
| 1987 | 1,636 millimeters | +6.1% |
| 1988 | 1,717 millimeters | +4.9% |
| 1989 | 1,814 millimeters | +5.7% |
| 1990 | 1,819 millimeters | +0.2% |
| 1991 | 1,905 millimeters | +4.7% |
| 1992 | 1,653 millimeters | -13.2% |
| 1993 | 2,037 millimeters | +23.2% |
| 1994 | 1,377 millimeters | -32.4% |
| 1995 | 1,662 millimeters | +20.7% |
| 1996 | 1,594 millimeters | -4.1% |
| 1997 | 1,718 millimeters | +7.8% |
| 1998 | 2,019 millimeters | +17.5% |
| 1999 | 1,761 millimeters | -12.8% |
| 2000 | 1,755 millimeters | -0.4% |
| 2001 | 1,668 millimeters | -4.9% |
| 2002 | 1,655 millimeters | -0.8% |
| 2003 | 1,817 millimeters | +9.8% |
| 2004 | 1,943 millimeters | +6.9% |
| 2005 | 1,489 millimeters | -23.4% |
| 2006 | 1,804 millimeters | +21.2% |
| 2007 | 1,537 millimeters | -14.8% |
| 2008 | 1,546 millimeters | +0.6% |
| 2009 | 1,755 millimeters | +13.5% |
| 2010 | 1,931 millimeters | +10.0% |
| 2011 | 1,875 millimeters | -2.9% |
| 2012 | 1,799 millimeters | -4.0% |
| 2013 | 1,770 millimeters | -1.6% |
| 2014 | 1,799 millimeters | +1.7% |
| 2015 | 1,865 millimeters | +3.6% |
| 2016 | 1,926 millimeters | +3.3% |
| 2017 | 1,760 millimeters | -8.6% |
| 2018 | 1,897 millimeters | +7.8% |
| 2019 | 1,741 millimeters | -8.2% |
| 2020 | 1,923 millimeters | +10.5% |
| 2021 | 1,966 millimeters | +2.2% |
| 2022 | 1,708 millimeters | -13.1% |
| 2023 | 1,723 millimeters | +0.9% |
| 2024 | 1,955 millimeters | +13.4% |
| 2025 | 1,642 millimeters | -16.0% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 1,642 millimeters is above the median for high income countries, which is 891.63 millimeters, 1.8× the median. (65 countries reporting)
- Japan's 1,642 millimeters is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1,984 millimeters, 83% of the median. (27 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 1,435 millimeters | 1,147 millimeters | 1,956 millimeters | 10 |
| 1950s | 1,727 millimeters | 1,515 millimeters | 1,884 millimeters | 10 |
| 1960s | 1,772 millimeters | 1,632 millimeters | 1,982 millimeters | 10 |
| 1970s | 1,906 millimeters | 1,574 millimeters | 2,346 millimeters | 10 |
| 1980s | 1,723 millimeters | 1,375 millimeters | 2,038 millimeters | 10 |
| 1990s | 1,754 millimeters | 1,377 millimeters | 2,037 millimeters | 10 |
| 2000s | 1,697 millimeters | 1,489 millimeters | 1,943 millimeters | 10 |
| 2010s | 1,836 millimeters | 1,741 millimeters | 1,931 millimeters | 10 |
| 2020s | 1,819 millimeters | 1,642 millimeters | 1,966 millimeters | 6 |
Countries ranked near Japan
- 39 Guatemala 1,721 millimeters compare
- 40 South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands 1,677 millimeters compare
- 41 Honduras 1,668 millimeters compare
- 43 New Zealand 1,631 millimeters compare
- 44 Guinea-Bissau 1,621 millimeters compare
- 45 Belize 1,620 millimeters compare
More climate change data for Japan
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 337.64 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 12,181 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 3,633 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 8,547 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 13.71 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 305.27 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 9,462 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 2,401 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 7,061 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 9.06 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual precipitation in Japan?
- Annual precipitation in Japan was 1,642 millimeters in 2025, according to Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual precipitation recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 2,346 millimeters in 1972.
- What is the lowest annual precipitation recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 1,147 millimeters in 1943.
- How does Japan rank for annual precipitation?
- Japan ranks 42nd out of 192 countries with data for 2025.
- Is annual precipitation rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 12.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual precipitation. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 86 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Total annual precipitation—rain and snow—calculated as the sum of daily averages, reported as the depth of water falling to Earth's surface, excluding fog and dew.