Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly in Japan
Japan: Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly was -4.8 Percentage change in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly in Japan, 1950–2025
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Percentage change.
Analysis
In 2025, historical exposure to drought — cropland soil moisture anomaly in Japan stood at -4.8 Percentage change. That is the lowest value across all 76 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 242.2% on the previous year and down 431.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, historical exposure to drought — cropland soil moisture anomaly in Japan peaked at 4.09 Percentage change in 1980 and was at its lowest, -4.8 Percentage change, in 2025.
Japan ranks 101st of 168 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly in Japan, year by year
| Year | Percentage change | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 0.3733 Percentage change | — |
| 1951 | -2.3 Percentage change | -715.6% |
| 1952 | 2.47 Percentage change | -207.5% |
| 1953 | 1.29 Percentage change | -47.7% |
| 1954 | 1.81 Percentage change | +39.9% |
| 1955 | 1.92 Percentage change | +5.9% |
| 1956 | 0.6015 Percentage change | -68.6% |
| 1957 | 0.3563 Percentage change | -40.8% |
| 1958 | 1.05 Percentage change | +194.0% |
| 1959 | -0.5061 Percentage change | -148.3% |
| 1960 | 2.42 Percentage change | -578.2% |
| 1961 | -0.7665 Percentage change | -131.7% |
| 1962 | -2.02 Percentage change | +163.7% |
| 1963 | 3 Percentage change | -248.6% |
| 1964 | 0.4755 Percentage change | -84.2% |
| 1965 | 0.0859 Percentage change | -81.9% |
| 1966 | 1.46 Percentage change | +1599.6% |
| 1967 | 0.5675 Percentage change | -61.2% |
| 1968 | 2.52 Percentage change | +344.9% |
| 1969 | 3.23 Percentage change | +27.9% |
| 1970 | 1.58 Percentage change | -51.0% |
| 1971 | 3.07 Percentage change | +94.2% |
| 1972 | 3.94 Percentage change | +28.4% |
| 1973 | 1.51 Percentage change | -61.6% |
| 1974 | 1.52 Percentage change | +0.2% |
| 1975 | 1.11 Percentage change | -26.6% |
| 1976 | 1.34 Percentage change | +20.7% |
| 1977 | -0.8026 Percentage change | -159.7% |
| 1978 | 0.0741 Percentage change | -109.2% |
| 1979 | 2.56 Percentage change | +3358.6% |
| 1980 | 4.09 Percentage change | +59.7% |
| 1981 | 1.14 Percentage change | -72.2% |
| 1982 | 1.67 Percentage change | +47.0% |
| 1983 | 0.5633 Percentage change | -66.3% |
| 1984 | -3.74 Percentage change | -763.6% |
| 1985 | -1.81 Percentage change | -51.6% |
| 1986 | -3.85 Percentage change | +113.2% |
| 1987 | -0.842 Percentage change | -78.2% |
| 1988 | -1.24 Percentage change | +46.8% |
| 1989 | 1.22 Percentage change | -198.8% |
| 1990 | -1.84 Percentage change | -251.0% |
| 1991 | 2.33 Percentage change | -226.6% |
| 1992 | 0.6314 Percentage change | -72.9% |
| 1993 | 2.99 Percentage change | +373.9% |
| 1994 | -4.71 Percentage change | -257.5% |
| 1995 | 0.193 Percentage change | -104.1% |
| 1996 | 0.0376 Percentage change | -80.5% |
| 1997 | -2.22 Percentage change | -6002.6% |
| 1998 | 1.7 Percentage change | -176.6% |
| 1999 | -0.1014 Percentage change | -106.0% |
| 2000 | 0.6382 Percentage change | -729.5% |
| 2001 | 2.29 Percentage change | +258.3% |
| 2002 | 0.7111 Percentage change | -68.9% |
| 2003 | 2.32 Percentage change | +226.7% |
| 2004 | 2.08 Percentage change | -10.3% |
| 2005 | -2.71 Percentage change | -230.1% |
| 2006 | -0.1853 Percentage change | -93.2% |
| 2007 | -1.36 Percentage change | +634.7% |
| 2008 | 0.762 Percentage change | -156.0% |
| 2009 | 1.63 Percentage change | +114.5% |
| 2010 | 1.69 Percentage change | +3.6% |
| 2011 | 1.41 Percentage change | -17.0% |
| 2012 | -1.97 Percentage change | -240.0% |
| 2013 | -0.4955 Percentage change | -74.8% |
| 2014 | -0.2087 Percentage change | -57.9% |
| 2015 | -0.9037 Percentage change | +333.0% |
| 2016 | 1.88 Percentage change | -307.8% |
| 2017 | 0.3963 Percentage change | -78.9% |
| 2018 | -0.1114 Percentage change | -128.1% |
| 2019 | 0.8036 Percentage change | -821.3% |
| 2020 | 0.7402 Percentage change | -7.9% |
| 2021 | 0.0354 Percentage change | -95.2% |
| 2022 | -0.5494 Percentage change | -1652.5% |
| 2023 | -1.92 Percentage change | +249.0% |
| 2024 | 3.38 Percentage change | -276.0% |
| 2025 | -4.8 Percentage change | -242.2% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's -4.8 Percentage change is below the median for high income countries, which is -2.55 Percentage change, 1.9× the median. (55 countries reporting)
- Japan's -4.8 Percentage change is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.6494 Percentage change. (22 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | -6002.6% | 0.0376 Percentage change | -2.22 Percentage change |
| 1979 | +3358.6% | 0.0741 Percentage change | 2.56 Percentage change |
| 2022 | -1652.5% | 0.0354 Percentage change | -0.5494 Percentage change |
| 1966 | +1599.6% | 0.0859 Percentage change | 1.46 Percentage change |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 0.706 Percentage change | -2.3 Percentage change | 2.47 Percentage change | 10 |
| 1960s | 1.1 Percentage change | -2.02 Percentage change | 3.23 Percentage change | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.59 Percentage change | -0.8026 Percentage change | 3.94 Percentage change | 10 |
| 1980s | -0.2792 Percentage change | -3.85 Percentage change | 4.09 Percentage change | 10 |
| 1990s | -0.099 Percentage change | -4.71 Percentage change | 2.99 Percentage change | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.6182 Percentage change | -2.71 Percentage change | 2.32 Percentage change | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.2491 Percentage change | -1.97 Percentage change | 1.88 Percentage change | 10 |
| 2020s | -0.5191 Percentage change | -4.8 Percentage change | 3.38 Percentage change | 6 |
Countries ranked near Japan
More environment data for Japan
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -4.51 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)
- Wood-based panels — Production, annual growth rate -3.12 % change on previous year (2024)
- 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 historical exposure to drought — cropland soil moisture anomaly in Japan?
- Historical exposure to drought — cropland soil moisture anomaly in Japan was -4.8 Percentage change in 2025, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- What is the highest historical exposure to drought — cropland soil moisture anomaly recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 4.09 Percentage change in 1980.
- What is the lowest historical exposure to drought — cropland soil moisture anomaly recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was -4.8 Percentage change in 2025.
- How does Japan rank for historical exposure to drought — cropland soil moisture anomaly?
- Japan ranks 101st out of 168 countries with data for 2025.
- Is historical exposure to drought — cropland soil moisture anomaly rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 431.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The dataset provides annual anomalies in land and cropland soil moisture content of the top soil layer (0 to 7 cm) compared to the reference period 1981-2010. Exposure indicators to drought have been prepared by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Please see the working paper for a more complete description of the methods. The datasets span the period 1981-2024 and is the result of the use of a variety of geospatial data sources, including the ERA5-Land averaged monthly data of volumetric soil moisture and ESA CCI land cover data. Average anomalies have been calculated for both land and cropland exposure to drought. The dataset has a global coverage on a national level; on the sub-national TL2 level (i.e. large subnational regions) results are reported for all OECD countries as well as for Argentina, Brazil, China, India, Indonesia and South Africa. A number of aggregates are included: Euro area, European Union, Advanced economies, Emerging market economies, G7, G20, OECD, OECD Europe, OECD Asia Oceania, OECD Americas and the LAC region. Data source(s): Copernicus Climate Change Initiative land cover data and Copernicus Climate Data Store monthly soil moisture data based on the ERA5-Land reanalysis dataset. Contact: ENV.Stat@oecd.org