Terrestrial and marine protected areas in Japan
Japan: Terrestrial and marine protected areas was 15.1% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Terrestrial and marine protected areas in Japan, 2013–2025
Source: Protected Planet: The World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) and World Database on Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (WD-OECM), UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring. Measured in % of total territorial area.
Analysis
In 2025, terrestrial and marine protected areas in Japan stood at 15.1%.
The figure is up 619.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, terrestrial and marine protected areas in Japan peaked at 15.2% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 1.9%, in 2013.
That places Japan 86th out of 213 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 13 years of available data.
Terrestrial and marine protected areas in Japan, year by year
| Year | % of total territorial area | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 1.9% | — |
| 2014 | 2.1% | +10.5% |
| 2015 | 2.1% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 10.0% | +376.2% |
| 2017 | 10.0% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 10.0% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 10.0% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 10.0% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 15.2% | +52.0% |
| 2022 | 15.2% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 15.2% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 15.1% | -0.7% |
| 2025 | 15.1% | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 6.6% | 1.9% | 10.0% | 7 |
| 2020s | 14.3% | 10.0% | 15.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Japan
- 83 South Sudan 15.4% compare
- 84 Dominican Republic 15.3% compare
- 85 Pakistan 15.2% compare
- 87 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 14.9% compare
- 87 Côte d'Ivoire 14.9% compare
- 87 Paraguay 14.9% compare
More climate change data for Japan
- 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)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 252.18 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is terrestrial and marine protected areas in Japan?
- Terrestrial and marine protected areas in Japan was 15.1% in 2025, according to Protected Planet: The World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) and World Database on Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (WD-OECM), UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring.
- What is the highest terrestrial and marine protected areas recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 15.2% in 2021.
- What is the lowest terrestrial and marine protected areas recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.9% in 2013.
- How does Japan rank for terrestrial and marine protected areas?
- Japan ranks 86th out of 213 countries with data for 2025.
- Is terrestrial and marine protected areas rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 619.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from Protected Planet: The World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) and World Database on Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (WD-OECM), UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring, published as part of Terrestrial and marine protected areas (% of total territorial area). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 13 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Terrestrial protected areas are totally or partially protected areas of at least 1,000 hectares that are designated by national authorities as scientific reserves with limited public access, national parks, natural monuments, nature reserves or wildlife sanctuaries, protected landscapes, and areas managed mainly for sustainable use. Marine protected areas are areas of intertidal or subtidal terrain--and overlying water and associated flora and fauna and historical and cultural features--that have been reserved by law or other effective means to protect part or all of the enclosed environment. Sites protected under local or provincial law are excluded.