emissions of air pollutants in Japan
Japan: emissions of air pollutants was 3.06 million tonnes in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2022)
3.06 million tonnes
Change on year
down 1.4%
World rank
23rd
of 220 countries
All-time high
10.34 million tonnes
in 1977
All-time low
875,547 tonnes
in 1750
Years of data
273
1750–2022
emissions of air pollutants in Japan, 1750–2022
Source: Hoesly et al. (2024) – Community Emissions Data System (CEDS) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
In 2022, emissions of air pollutants in Japan stood at 3.06 million tonnes.
The figure is down 1.4% on the previous year and down 31.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, emissions of air pollutants in Japan peaked at 10.34 million tonnes in 1977 and was at its lowest, 875,547 tonnes, in 1750.
That places Japan 23rd out of 220 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
emissions of air pollutants in Japan, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1750 | 875,547 tonnes | — |
| 1751 | 876,028 tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1752 | 876,509 tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1753 | 876,989 tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1754 | 877,467 tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1755 | 877,945 tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1756 | 878,421 tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1757 | 878,896 tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1758 | 879,370 tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1759 | 879,843 tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1760 | 880,315 tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1761 | 880,756 tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1762 | 881,197 tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1763 | 881,636 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1764 | 882,074 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1765 | 882,511 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1766 | 882,946 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1767 | 883,380 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1768 | 883,813 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1769 | 884,245 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1770 | 884,676 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1771 | 885,072 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1772 | 885,468 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1773 | 885,862 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1774 | 886,255 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1775 | 886,646 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1776 | 887,036 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1777 | 887,425 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1778 | 887,812 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1779 | 888,199 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1780 | 888,583 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1781 | 888,930 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1782 | 889,276 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1783 | 889,620 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1784 | 889,962 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1785 | 890,303 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1786 | 890,643 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1787 | 890,981 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1788 | 891,318 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1789 | 891,653 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1790 | 891,987 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1791 | 892,278 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1792 | 892,568 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1793 | 892,856 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1794 | 893,143 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1795 | 893,428 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1796 | 893,712 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1797 | 893,994 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1798 | 894,274 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1799 | 894,553 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1800 | 894,830 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1801 | 895,060 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1802 | 895,289 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1803 | 895,516 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1804 | 895,741 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1805 | 895,964 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1806 | 896,185 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1807 | 896,405 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1808 | 896,623 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1809 | 896,839 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1810 | 897,054 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1811 | 897,216 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1812 | 897,376 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1813 | 897,535 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1814 | 897,691 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1815 | 897,846 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1816 | 897,999 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1817 | 898,149 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1818 | 898,298 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1819 | 898,445 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1820 | 898,590 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1821 | 898,517 tonnes | -0.0% |
| 1822 | 898,442 tonnes | -0.0% |
| 1823 | 898,365 tonnes | -0.0% |
| 1824 | 898,286 tonnes | -0.0% |
| 1825 | 898,205 tonnes | -0.0% |
| 1826 | 898,123 tonnes | -0.0% |
| 1827 | 898,039 tonnes | -0.0% |
| 1828 | 897,954 tonnes | -0.0% |
| 1829 | 897,866 tonnes | -0.0% |
| 1830 | 897,777 tonnes | -0.0% |
| 1831 | 897,781 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1832 | 897,783 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1833 | 897,783 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1834 | 897,780 tonnes | -0.0% |
| 1835 | 897,775 tonnes | -0.0% |
| 1836 | 897,768 tonnes | -0.0% |
| 1837 | 897,759 tonnes | -0.0% |
| 1838 | 897,747 tonnes | -0.0% |
| 1839 | 897,733 tonnes | -0.0% |
| 1840 | 897,717 tonnes | -0.0% |
| 1841 | 897,630 tonnes | -0.0% |
| 1842 | 897,540 tonnes | -0.0% |
| 1843 | 897,448 tonnes | -0.0% |
| 1844 | 897,353 tonnes | -0.0% |
| 1845 | 897,256 tonnes | -0.0% |
| 1846 | 897,157 tonnes | -0.0% |
| 1847 | 897,055 tonnes | -0.0% |
| 1848 | 896,950 tonnes | -0.0% |
| 1849 | 896,844 tonnes | -0.0% |
| 1850 | 899,595 tonnes | +0.3% |
| 1851 | 900,285 tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1852 | 900,966 tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1853 | 901,639 tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1854 | 902,302 tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1855 | 902,957 tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1856 | 902,712 tonnes | -0.0% |
| 1857 | 902,473 tonnes | -0.0% |
| 1858 | 902,241 tonnes | -0.0% |
| 1859 | 902,016 tonnes | -0.0% |
| 1860 | 901,797 tonnes | -0.0% |
| 1861 | 900,736 tonnes | -0.1% |
| 1862 | 899,695 tonnes | -0.1% |
| 1863 | 898,673 tonnes | -0.1% |
| 1864 | 897,670 tonnes | -0.1% |
| 1865 | 896,687 tonnes | -0.1% |
| 1866 | 895,172 tonnes | -0.2% |
| 1867 | 893,688 tonnes | -0.2% |
| 1868 | 892,291 tonnes | -0.2% |
| 1869 | 890,905 tonnes | -0.2% |
| 1870 | 889,490 tonnes | -0.2% |
| 1871 | 894,825 tonnes | +0.6% |
| 1872 | 897,556 tonnes | +0.3% |
| 1873 | 900,648 tonnes | +0.3% |
| 1874 | 906,235 tonnes | +0.6% |
| 1875 | 914,269 tonnes | +0.9% |
| 1876 | 917,891 tonnes | +0.4% |
| 1877 | 921,081 tonnes | +0.3% |
| 1878 | 931,356 tonnes | +1.1% |
| 1879 | 940,016 tonnes | +0.9% |
| 1880 | 943,024 tonnes | +0.3% |
| 1881 | 943,456 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1882 | 951,816 tonnes | +0.9% |
| 1883 | 956,953 tonnes | +0.5% |
| 1884 | 959,060 tonnes | +0.2% |
| 1885 | 965,136 tonnes | +0.6% |
| 1886 | 976,233 tonnes | +1.1% |
| 1887 | 987,880 tonnes | +1.2% |
| 1888 | 1.01 million tonnes | +1.8% |
| 1889 | 1.03 million tonnes | +2.2% |
| 1890 | 1.05 million tonnes | +1.6% |
| 1891 | 1.06 million tonnes | +1.5% |
| 1892 | 1.06 million tonnes | +0.2% |
| 1893 | 1.08 million tonnes | +1.8% |
| 1894 | 1.12 million tonnes | +3.1% |
| 1895 | 1.13 million tonnes | +1.5% |
| 1896 | 1.15 million tonnes | +1.4% |
| 1897 | 1.16 million tonnes | +1.1% |
| 1898 | 1.20 million tonnes | +3.6% |
| 1899 | 1.21 million tonnes | +0.2% |
| 1900 | 1.24 million tonnes | +2.7% |
| 1901 | 1.26 million tonnes | +1.5% |
| 1902 | 1.28 million tonnes | +1.6% |
| 1903 | 1.28 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1904 | 1.32 million tonnes | +3.1% |
| 1905 | 1.31 million tonnes | -0.3% |
| 1906 | 1.34 million tonnes | +2.1% |
| 1907 | 1.36 million tonnes | +1.7% |
| 1908 | 1.38 million tonnes | +1.5% |
| 1909 | 1.38 million tonnes | -0.5% |
| 1910 | 1.36 million tonnes | -1.1% |
| 1911 | 1.40 million tonnes | +2.6% |
| 1912 | 1.43 million tonnes | +2.2% |
| 1913 | 1.47 million tonnes | +2.6% |
| 1914 | 1.50 million tonnes | +2.0% |
| 1915 | 1.44 million tonnes | -3.7% |
| 1916 | 1.49 million tonnes | +3.7% |
| 1917 | 1.58 million tonnes | +5.4% |
| 1918 | 1.61 million tonnes | +2.1% |
| 1919 | 1.68 million tonnes | +4.3% |
| 1920 | 1.63 million tonnes | -2.7% |
| 1921 | 1.53 million tonnes | -6.1% |
| 1922 | 1.55 million tonnes | +1.2% |
| 1923 | 1.57 million tonnes | +0.9% |
| 1924 | 1.57 million tonnes | +0.4% |
| 1925 | 1.57 million tonnes | -0.0% |
| 1926 | 1.57 million tonnes | -0.3% |
| 1927 | 1.62 million tonnes | +3.2% |
| 1928 | 1.62 million tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1929 | 1.63 million tonnes | +0.6% |
| 1930 | 1.55 million tonnes | -5.0% |
| 1931 | 1.47 million tonnes | -5.1% |
| 1932 | 1.45 million tonnes | -0.9% |
| 1933 | 1.55 million tonnes | +6.5% |
| 1934 | 1.62 million tonnes | +4.7% |
| 1935 | 1.65 million tonnes | +1.8% |
| 1936 | 1.74 million tonnes | +5.2% |
| 1937 | 1.81 million tonnes | +4.1% |
| 1938 | 1.86 million tonnes | +2.6% |
| 1939 | 1.81 million tonnes | -2.4% |
| 1940 | 2.02 million tonnes | +11.6% |
| 1941 | 2.27 million tonnes | +12.4% |
| 1942 | 2.41 million tonnes | +6.2% |
| 1943 | 2.62 million tonnes | +8.7% |
| 1944 | 2.62 million tonnes | -0.3% |
| 1945 | 1.84 million tonnes | -29.5% |
| 1946 | 1.45 million tonnes | -21.1% |
| 1947 | 1.62 million tonnes | +11.1% |
| 1948 | 1.78 million tonnes | +10.1% |
| 1949 | 1.83 million tonnes | +3.1% |
| 1950 | 1.84 million tonnes | +0.4% |
| 1951 | 1.99 million tonnes | +8.1% |
| 1952 | 1.99 million tonnes | -0.2% |
| 1953 | 2.09 million tonnes | +5.1% |
| 1954 | 1.96 million tonnes | -5.9% |
| 1955 | 1.88 million tonnes | -4.5% |
| 1956 | 2.00 million tonnes | +6.7% |
| 1957 | 2.21 million tonnes | +10.2% |
| 1958 | 2.09 million tonnes | -5.2% |
| 1959 | 2.15 million tonnes | +2.9% |
| 1960 | 2.74 million tonnes | +27.5% |
| 1961 | 2.93 million tonnes | +6.7% |
| 1962 | 3.02 million tonnes | +3.3% |
| 1963 | 3.20 million tonnes | +6.0% |
| 1964 | 3.39 million tonnes | +5.7% |
| 1965 | 4.43 million tonnes | +30.7% |
| 1966 | 5.10 million tonnes | +15.2% |
| 1967 | 5.91 million tonnes | +15.8% |
| 1968 | 6.74 million tonnes | +14.1% |
| 1969 | 7.63 million tonnes | +13.2% |
| 1970 | 9.07 million tonnes | +18.9% |
| 1971 | 9.25 million tonnes | +1.9% |
| 1972 | 9.57 million tonnes | +3.5% |
| 1973 | 10.18 million tonnes | +6.4% |
| 1974 | 9.71 million tonnes | -4.6% |
| 1975 | 9.71 million tonnes | -0.1% |
| 1976 | 10.05 million tonnes | +3.5% |
| 1977 | 10.34 million tonnes | +2.9% |
| 1978 | 10.08 million tonnes | -2.5% |
| 1979 | 10.22 million tonnes | +1.4% |
| 1980 | 9.89 million tonnes | -3.3% |
| 1981 | 9.53 million tonnes | -3.6% |
| 1982 | 9.15 million tonnes | -4.0% |
| 1983 | 8.76 million tonnes | -4.2% |
| 1984 | 8.55 million tonnes | -2.4% |
| 1985 | 8.23 million tonnes | -3.7% |
| 1986 | 7.88 million tonnes | -4.3% |
| 1987 | 7.80 million tonnes | -1.0% |
| 1988 | 7.85 million tonnes | +0.7% |
| 1989 | 8.19 million tonnes | +4.3% |
| 1990 | 8.74 million tonnes | +6.7% |
| 1991 | 8.23 million tonnes | -5.8% |
| 1992 | 7.84 million tonnes | -4.8% |
| 1993 | 7.55 million tonnes | -3.7% |
| 1994 | 7.48 million tonnes | -0.9% |
| 1995 | 7.64 million tonnes | +2.1% |
| 1996 | 7.71 million tonnes | +0.9% |
| 1997 | 7.74 million tonnes | +0.3% |
| 1998 | 7.58 million tonnes | -2.1% |
| 1999 | 7.71 million tonnes | +1.8% |
| 2000 | 7.84 million tonnes | +1.7% |
| 2001 | 7.72 million tonnes | -1.6% |
| 2002 | 7.55 million tonnes | -2.2% |
| 2003 | 7.32 million tonnes | -3.1% |
| 2004 | 6.96 million tonnes | -4.9% |
| 2005 | 6.67 million tonnes | -4.2% |
| 2006 | 6.41 million tonnes | -3.9% |
| 2007 | 6.21 million tonnes | -3.2% |
| 2008 | 5.65 million tonnes | -9.0% |
| 2009 | 5.07 million tonnes | -10.2% |
| 2010 | 4.74 million tonnes | -6.6% |
| 2011 | 4.64 million tonnes | -2.0% |
| 2012 | 4.50 million tonnes | -3.1% |
| 2013 | 4.43 million tonnes | -1.6% |
| 2014 | 4.19 million tonnes | -5.3% |
| 2015 | 4.05 million tonnes | -3.4% |
| 2016 | 3.90 million tonnes | -3.7% |
| 2017 | 3.76 million tonnes | -3.5% |
| 2018 | 3.63 million tonnes | -3.6% |
| 2019 | 3.42 million tonnes | -5.7% |
| 2020 | 3.09 million tonnes | -9.8% |
| 2021 | 3.11 million tonnes | +0.7% |
| 2022 | 3.06 million tonnes | -1.4% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 3.06 million tonnes is above the median for high income countries, which is 150,374 tonnes, 20.4× the median. (78 countries reporting)
- Japan's 3.06 million tonnes is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 179,591 tonnes, 17.1× the median. (34 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where emissions of air pollutants in Japan changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | +30.7% | 3.39 million tonnes | 4.43 million tonnes |
| 1945 | -29.5% | 2.62 million tonnes | 1.84 million tonnes |
| 1960 | +27.5% | 2.15 million tonnes | 2.74 million tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1750s | 877,702 tonnes | 875,547 tonnes | 879,843 tonnes | 10 |
| 1760s | 882,287 tonnes | 880,315 tonnes | 884,245 tonnes | 10 |
| 1770s | 886,445 tonnes | 884,676 tonnes | 888,199 tonnes | 10 |
| 1780s | 890,127 tonnes | 888,583 tonnes | 891,653 tonnes | 10 |
| 1790s | 893,279 tonnes | 891,987 tonnes | 894,553 tonnes | 10 |
| 1800s | 895,845 tonnes | 894,830 tonnes | 896,839 tonnes | 10 |
| 1810s | 897,761 tonnes | 897,054 tonnes | 898,445 tonnes | 10 |
| 1820s | 898,239 tonnes | 897,866 tonnes | 898,590 tonnes | 10 |
| 1830s | 897,769 tonnes | 897,733 tonnes | 897,783 tonnes | 10 |
| 1840s | 897,295 tonnes | 896,844 tonnes | 897,717 tonnes | 10 |
| 1850s | 901,719 tonnes | 899,595 tonnes | 902,957 tonnes | 10 |
| 1860s | 896,731 tonnes | 890,905 tonnes | 901,797 tonnes | 10 |
| 1870s | 911,337 tonnes | 889,490 tonnes | 940,016 tonnes | 10 |
| 1880s | 971,813 tonnes | 943,024 tonnes | 1.03 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1890s | 1.12 million tonnes | 1.05 million tonnes | 1.21 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1900s | 1.31 million tonnes | 1.24 million tonnes | 1.38 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1910s | 1.50 million tonnes | 1.36 million tonnes | 1.68 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1920s | 1.59 million tonnes | 1.53 million tonnes | 1.63 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1930s | 1.65 million tonnes | 1.45 million tonnes | 1.86 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1940s | 2.05 million tonnes | 1.45 million tonnes | 2.62 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1950s | 2.02 million tonnes | 1.84 million tonnes | 2.21 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1960s | 4.51 million tonnes | 2.74 million tonnes | 7.63 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1970s | 9.82 million tonnes | 9.07 million tonnes | 10.34 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 8.58 million tonnes | 7.80 million tonnes | 9.89 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 7.82 million tonnes | 7.48 million tonnes | 8.74 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 6.74 million tonnes | 5.07 million tonnes | 7.84 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.12 million tonnes | 3.42 million tonnes | 4.74 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.09 million tonnes | 3.06 million tonnes | 3.11 million tonnes | 3 |
Countries ranked near Japan
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 emissions of air pollutants in Japan?
- Emissions of air pollutants in Japan was 3.06 million tonnes in 2022, according to Hoesly et al. (2024) – Community Emissions Data System (CEDS) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest emissions of air pollutants recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 10.34 million tonnes in 1977.
- What is the lowest emissions of air pollutants recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 875,547 tonnes in 1750.
- How does Japan rank for emissions of air pollutants?
- Japan ranks 23rd out of 220 countries with data for 2022.
- Is emissions of air pollutants rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 31.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from Hoesly et al. (2024) – Community Emissions Data System (CEDS) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of emissions of air pollutants. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 273 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a pollutant produced from the incomplete combustion of carbon-based fuels such as oil, gas, wood, and coal. CO is a harmful gas that contributes to both outdoor and indoor air pollution.