Drinking water service usage in Japan
Japan: Drinking water service usage was 98.7% in 2024. ▬ Flat
Drinking water service usage in Japan, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, drinking water service usage in Japan stood at 98.7%. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, drinking water service usage in Japan peaked at 98.7% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 97.9%, in 2000.
Japan ranks 37th of 163 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
Drinking water service usage in Japan, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 97.9% | — |
| 2001 | 97.9% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 97.9% | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 97.9% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 97.9% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 97.9% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 98.0% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 98.0% | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 98.0% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 98.1% | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 98.1% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 98.2% | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 98.2% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 98.3% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 98.3% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 98.4% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 98.4% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 98.5% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 98.5% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 98.5% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 98.6% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 98.6% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 98.7% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 98.7% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 98.7% | +0.0% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 98.7% is above the median for high income countries, which is 98.7%, 1.0× the median. (68 countries reporting)
- Japan's 98.7% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 64.6%, 1.5× the median. (28 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 97.9% | 97.9% | 98.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 98.3% | 98.1% | 98.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 98.7% | 98.6% | 98.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Japan
- 34 Puerto Rico 98.9% compare
- 35 Bahrain 98.9% compare
- 36 Austria 98.9% compare
- 38 United States Virgin Islands 98.7% compare
- 39 United Arab Emirates 98.6% compare
- 40 Saint Helena 98.4% compare
More environment data for Japan
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -4.51 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -4.8 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.358 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.86 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -2.8 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate -0.4957 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is drinking water service usage in Japan?
- Drinking water service usage in Japan was 98.7% in 2024, according to WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest drinking water service usage recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 98.7% in 2023.
- What is the lowest drinking water service usage recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 97.9% in 2000.
- How does Japan rank for drinking water service usage?
- Japan ranks 37th out of 163 countries with data for 2024.
- Is drinking water service usage rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Drinking water service usage. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Proportion of people using an improved drinking water source that is located on premises, available when needed and free from fecal and priority chemical contamination.