Per capita greenhouse gas emissions, excluding land use and forestry in Japan
Japan: Per capita greenhouse gas emissions, excluding land use and forestry was 7.97 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
7.97 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person
Change on year
down 2.0%
World rank
35th
of 198 countries
All-time high
10.51 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person
in 2013
All-time low
0.1273 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person
in 1850
Years of data
175
1850–2024
Per capita greenhouse gas emissions, excluding land use and forestry in Japan, 1850–2024
Source: Jones et al. (2025); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person.
Analysis
In 2024, per capita greenhouse gas emissions, excluding land use and forestry in Japan stood at 7.97 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person.
That represents a change of down 2.0% on the previous year and down 21.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, per capita greenhouse gas emissions, excluding land use and forestry in Japan peaked at 10.51 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person in 2013 and was at its lowest, 0.1273 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person, in 1850.
That places Japan 35th out of 198 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Per capita greenhouse gas emissions, excluding land use and forestry in Japan, year by year
| Year | tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1850 | 0.1273 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | — |
| 1851 | 0.1279 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.4% |
| 1852 | 0.1284 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.4% |
| 1853 | 0.1288 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.3% |
| 1854 | 0.1292 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.3% |
| 1855 | 0.1295 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.3% |
| 1856 | 0.1299 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.3% |
| 1857 | 0.1302 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.3% |
| 1858 | 0.1305 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.2% |
| 1859 | 0.1308 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.2% |
| 1860 | 0.1311 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.2% |
| 1861 | 0.1313 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.2% |
| 1862 | 0.1316 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.2% |
| 1863 | 0.1319 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.2% |
| 1864 | 0.1321 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.2% |
| 1865 | 0.1323 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.2% |
| 1866 | 0.1326 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.2% |
| 1867 | 0.1328 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.2% |
| 1868 | 0.1333 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.4% |
| 1869 | 0.1337 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.3% |
| 1870 | 0.1337 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.0% |
| 1871 | 0.1342 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.4% |
| 1872 | 0.1348 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.4% |
| 1873 | 0.1355 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.5% |
| 1874 | 0.1525 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +12.6% |
| 1875 | 0.1786 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +17.1% |
| 1876 | 0.1777 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.5% |
| 1877 | 0.1746 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.8% |
| 1878 | 0.1913 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +9.6% |
| 1879 | 0.2045 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +6.9% |
| 1880 | 0.205 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.3% |
| 1881 | 0.2066 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.7% |
| 1882 | 0.2085 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +1.0% |
| 1883 | 0.2133 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +2.3% |
| 1884 | 0.2195 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +2.9% |
| 1885 | 0.2296 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +4.6% |
| 1886 | 0.2355 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +2.6% |
| 1887 | 0.2584 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +9.7% |
| 1888 | 0.2759 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +6.8% |
| 1889 | 0.3036 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +10.0% |
| 1890 | 0.3155 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +3.9% |
| 1891 | 0.3499 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +10.9% |
| 1892 | 0.3466 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.9% |
| 1893 | 0.3572 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +3.0% |
| 1894 | 0.4177 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +17.0% |
| 1895 | 0.4457 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +6.7% |
| 1896 | 0.4598 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +3.2% |
| 1897 | 0.4721 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +2.7% |
| 1898 | 0.5601 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +18.6% |
| 1899 | 0.5564 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.7% |
| 1900 | 0.6032 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +8.4% |
| 1901 | 0.6895 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +14.3% |
| 1902 | 0.7224 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +4.8% |
| 1903 | 0.7352 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +1.8% |
| 1904 | 0.8027 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +9.2% |
| 1905 | 0.8149 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +1.5% |
| 1906 | 0.8722 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +7.0% |
| 1907 | 0.9122 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +4.6% |
| 1908 | 0.9591 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +5.1% |
| 1909 | 0.9625 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.4% |
| 1910 | 0.9771 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +1.5% |
| 1911 | 1.07 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +9.4% |
| 1912 | 1.16 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +8.9% |
| 1913 | 1.25 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +7.8% |
| 1914 | 1.32 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +4.9% |
| 1915 | 1.2 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -9.1% |
| 1916 | 1.3 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +8.5% |
| 1917 | 1.46 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +12.4% |
| 1918 | 1.52 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +4.3% |
| 1919 | 1.65 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +8.5% |
| 1920 | 1.54 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -6.9% |
| 1921 | 1.38 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -10.4% |
| 1922 | 1.44 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +4.9% |
| 1923 | 1.51 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +4.4% |
| 1924 | 1.55 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +2.8% |
| 1925 | 1.58 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +1.7% |
| 1926 | 1.57 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.7% |
| 1927 | 1.66 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +6.3% |
| 1928 | 1.69 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +1.5% |
| 1929 | 1.71 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +1.1% |
| 1930 | 1.54 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -9.7% |
| 1931 | 1.39 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -10.0% |
| 1932 | 1.37 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.0% |
| 1933 | 1.57 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +14.5% |
| 1934 | 1.71 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +8.9% |
| 1935 | 1.77 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +3.7% |
| 1936 | 1.92 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +8.0% |
| 1937 | 2.03 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +5.8% |
| 1938 | 2.1 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +3.6% |
| 1939 | 2.02 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -3.9% |
| 1940 | 2.37 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +17.3% |
| 1941 | 2.36 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.3% |
| 1942 | 2.24 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -5.2% |
| 1943 | 2.26 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.7% |
| 1944 | 2.07 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -8.4% |
| 1945 | 1.2 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -41.7% |
| 1946 | 0.8764 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -27.2% |
| 1947 | 1.1 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +26.1% |
| 1948 | 1.34 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +21.0% |
| 1949 | 1.46 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +9.5% |
| 1950 | 1.47 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.3% |
| 1951 | 1.71 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +16.3% |
| 1952 | 1.78 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +4.0% |
| 1953 | 1.94 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +9.3% |
| 1954 | 1.89 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -2.7% |
| 1955 | 1.87 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.1% |
| 1956 | 2.08 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +11.1% |
| 1957 | 2.38 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +14.6% |
| 1958 | 2.3 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -3.6% |
| 1959 | 2.41 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +5.0% |
| 1960 | 2.84 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +17.6% |
| 1961 | 3.37 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +18.7% |
| 1962 | 3.45 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +2.5% |
| 1963 | 3.76 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +9.0% |
| 1964 | 4.09 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +8.8% |
| 1965 | 4.35 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +6.3% |
| 1966 | 4.65 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +7.0% |
| 1967 | 5.32 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +14.3% |
| 1968 | 5.99 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +12.6% |
| 1969 | 6.83 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +14.0% |
| 1970 | 7.88 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +15.3% |
| 1971 | 8.03 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +1.9% |
| 1972 | 8.48 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +5.6% |
| 1973 | 8.85 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +4.4% |
| 1974 | 8.72 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.5% |
| 1975 | 8.2 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -6.0% |
| 1976 | 8.47 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +3.4% |
| 1977 | 8.62 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +1.8% |
| 1978 | 8.26 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -4.2% |
| 1979 | 8.64 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +4.6% |
| 1980 | 8.5 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.6% |
| 1981 | 8.3 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -2.4% |
| 1982 | 8.02 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -3.3% |
| 1983 | 7.86 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -2.1% |
| 1984 | 8.31 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +5.7% |
| 1985 | 8.07 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -2.9% |
| 1986 | 8.02 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.7% |
| 1987 | 7.87 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.8% |
| 1988 | 8.52 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +8.3% |
| 1989 | 8.78 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +3.1% |
| 1990 | 9.81 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +11.6% |
| 1991 | 9.87 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.6% |
| 1992 | 9.91 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.4% |
| 1993 | 9.82 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.9% |
| 1994 | 10.23 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +4.2% |
| 1995 | 10.3 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.7% |
| 1996 | 10.4 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.9% |
| 1997 | 10.29 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.0% |
| 1998 | 9.95 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -3.4% |
| 1999 | 10.19 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +2.4% |
| 2000 | 10.27 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 10.13 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.4% |
| 2002 | 10.33 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +2.0% |
| 2003 | 10.38 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 10.32 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -0.5% |
| 2005 | 10.36 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 10.17 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.9% |
| 2007 | 10.43 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +2.6% |
| 2008 | 9.85 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -5.6% |
| 2009 | 9.3 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -5.6% |
| 2010 | 9.7 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +4.3% |
| 2011 | 10.09 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +4.0% |
| 2012 | 10.42 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +3.2% |
| 2013 | 10.51 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 10.12 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -3.8% |
| 2015 | 9.81 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -3.0% |
| 2016 | 9.66 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.5% |
| 2017 | 9.55 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -1.2% |
| 2018 | 9.19 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -3.7% |
| 2019 | 8.91 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -3.0% |
| 2020 | 8.42 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -5.5% |
| 2021 | 8.63 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | +2.5% |
| 2022 | 8.44 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -2.2% |
| 2023 | 8.13 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -3.7% |
| 2024 | 7.97 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | -2.0% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 7.97 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person is above the median for high income countries, which is 6.74 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person, 1.2× the median. (67 countries reporting)
- Japan's 7.97 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 3.61 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person, 2.2× the median. (31 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Per capita greenhouse gas emissions, excluding land use and forestry 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1945 | -41.7% | 2.07 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 1.2 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person |
| 1946 | -27.2% | 1.2 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 0.8764 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1850s | 0.1293 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 0.1273 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 0.1308 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1860s | 0.1323 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 0.1311 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 0.1337 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1870s | 0.1617 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 0.1337 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 0.2045 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1880s | 0.2356 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 0.205 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 0.3036 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1890s | 0.4281 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 0.3155 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 0.5601 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1900s | 0.8074 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 0.6032 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 0.9625 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1910s | 1.29 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 0.9771 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 1.65 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1920s | 1.56 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 1.38 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 1.71 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1930s | 1.74 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 1.37 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 2.1 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1940s | 1.73 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 0.8764 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 2.37 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1950s | 1.98 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 1.47 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 2.41 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1960s | 4.47 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 2.84 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 6.83 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1970s | 8.42 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 7.88 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 8.85 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1980s | 8.22 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 7.86 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 8.78 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 10.08 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 9.81 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10.4 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 10.15 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 9.3 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10.43 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.8 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 8.91 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10.51 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.32 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 7.97 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 8.63 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person | 5 |
Countries ranked near Japan
- 32 Belgium 8.22 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person compare
- 33 Poland 8.09 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person compare
- 34 Norway 7.98 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person compare
- 36 South Africa 7.94 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person compare
- 37 Gabon 7.81 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person compare
- 38 Bosnia and Herzegovina 7.77 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person 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 per capita greenhouse gas emissions, excluding land use and forestry in Japan?
- Per capita greenhouse gas emissions, excluding land use and forestry in Japan was 7.97 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person in 2024, according to Jones et al. (2025); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest per capita greenhouse gas emissions, excluding land use and forestry recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 10.51 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person in 2013.
- What is the lowest per capita greenhouse gas emissions, excluding land use and forestry recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1273 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per person in 1850.
- How does Japan rank for per capita greenhouse gas emissions, excluding land use and forestry?
- Japan ranks 35th out of 198 countries with data for 2024.
- Is per capita greenhouse gas emissions, excluding land use and forestry rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 21.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from Jones et al. (2025); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Per capita greenhouse gas emissions, excluding land use and forestry. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 175 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Greenhouse gas emissions are measured in tonnes per person of carbon dioxide-equivalents over a 100-year timescale.