Per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector in Japan
Japan: Per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector was 290.74 kilograms per person in 2023. ▼ Falling
Per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector in Japan, 1990–2023
Source: Climate Watch (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in kilograms per person.
Analysis
In 2023, per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector in Japan stood at 290.74 kilograms per person.
The figure is up 19.9% on the previous year and up 13.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector in Japan peaked at 328.19 kilograms per person in 2005 and was at its lowest, 195.16 kilograms per person, in 2020.
Japan ranks 51st of 191 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 34 years of available data.
Per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector in Japan, year by year
| Year | kilograms per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 256.16 kilograms per person | — |
| 1991 | 269.27 kilograms per person | +5.1% |
| 1992 | 271.66 kilograms per person | +0.9% |
| 1993 | 286.61 kilograms per person | +5.5% |
| 1994 | 297.08 kilograms per person | +3.7% |
| 1995 | 293.94 kilograms per person | -1.1% |
| 1996 | 252.11 kilograms per person | -14.2% |
| 1997 | 287.73 kilograms per person | +14.1% |
| 1998 | 302.57 kilograms per person | +5.2% |
| 1999 | 291.16 kilograms per person | -3.8% |
| 2000 | 293.01 kilograms per person | +0.6% |
| 2001 | 266.86 kilograms per person | -8.9% |
| 2002 | 291.88 kilograms per person | +9.4% |
| 2003 | 298.5 kilograms per person | +2.3% |
| 2004 | 309.82 kilograms per person | +3.8% |
| 2005 | 328.19 kilograms per person | +5.9% |
| 2006 | 307.82 kilograms per person | -6.2% |
| 2007 | 294.49 kilograms per person | -4.3% |
| 2008 | 274.43 kilograms per person | -6.8% |
| 2009 | 242.76 kilograms per person | -11.5% |
| 2010 | 246.6 kilograms per person | +1.6% |
| 2011 | 249.89 kilograms per person | +1.3% |
| 2012 | 256.08 kilograms per person | +2.5% |
| 2013 | 256.96 kilograms per person | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 249.99 kilograms per person | -2.7% |
| 2015 | 262.5 kilograms per person | +5.0% |
| 2016 | 273.99 kilograms per person | +4.4% |
| 2017 | 276.95 kilograms per person | +1.1% |
| 2018 | 287.91 kilograms per person | +4.0% |
| 2019 | 289.58 kilograms per person | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 195.16 kilograms per person | -32.6% |
| 2021 | 222.63 kilograms per person | +14.1% |
| 2022 | 242.56 kilograms per person | +9.0% |
| 2023 | 290.74 kilograms per person | +19.9% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 290.74 kilograms per person is below the median for high income countries, which is 559.34 kilograms per person, 52% of the median. (60 countries reporting)
- Japan's 290.74 kilograms per person is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 72.17 kilograms per person, 4.0× the median. (30 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | -32.6% | 289.58 kilograms per person | 195.16 kilograms per person |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 280.83 kilograms per person | 252.11 kilograms per person | 302.57 kilograms per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 290.77 kilograms per person | 242.76 kilograms per person | 328.19 kilograms per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 265.04 kilograms per person | 246.6 kilograms per person | 289.58 kilograms per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 237.78 kilograms per person | 195.16 kilograms per person | 290.74 kilograms per person | 4 |
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 per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector in Japan?
- Per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector in Japan was 290.74 kilograms per person in 2023, according to Climate Watch (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 328.19 kilograms per person in 2005.
- What is the lowest per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 195.16 kilograms per person in 2020.
- How does Japan rank for per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector?
- Japan ranks 51st out of 191 countries with data for 2023.
- Is per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 13.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from Climate Watch (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Per capita greenhouse gas emissions by sector. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 34 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Emissions are measured in kilograms of carbon dioxide-equivalents per person.