Municipal waste generated in Japan
Japan: Municipal waste generated was 40.95 million tonnes in 2021. βΌ Falling
Municipal waste generated in Japan, 2000β2021
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
Japan recorded 40.95 million tonnes for municipal waste generated in 2021. That is the lowest value across all 22 years on record.
The figure is down 1.7% on the previous year and down 9.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, municipal waste generated in Japan peaked at 54.83 million tonnes in 2000 and was at its lowest, 40.95 million tonnes, in 2021.
Japan ranks 4th of 75 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 22 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 52.13 million tonnes | 46.25 million tonnes | 54.83 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 44.07 million tonnes | 42.73 million tonnes | 45.43 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 41.31 million tonnes | 40.95 million tonnes | 41.67 million tonnes | 2 |
Countries ranked near Japan
More environment data for Japan
- Standard Deviation 0.358 Β°C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.86 Β°C (2025)
- Recovered paper β Production 16.66 million t (2024)
- Total fibre furnish β Production 23.82 million t (2024)
- Other paper and paperboard, not elsewhere specified β Import value 33,416 1000 USD (2024)
- Other paper and paperboard, not elsewhere specified β Import quantity 9,315 t (2024)
- Other paper and paperboard β Export value 1.13 million 1000 USD (2024)
- Other paper and paperboard β Export quantity 1.25 million t (2024)
- Other paper and paperboard β Import value 645,005 1000 USD (2024)
- Other paper and paperboard β Import quantity 424,342 t (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is municipal waste generated in Japan?
- Municipal waste generated in Japan was 40.95 million tonnes in 2021, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest municipal waste generated recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 54.83 million tonnes in 2000.
- What is the lowest municipal waste generated recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 40.95 million tonnes in 2021.
- How does Japan rank for municipal waste generated?
- Japan ranks 4th out of 75 countries with data for 2021.
- Is municipal waste generated rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Municipal waste generated (Tonnes). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV Β· JSON β 22 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).