Share of terrestrial Key Biodiversity Areas that are protected in Japan
Japan: Share of terrestrial Key Biodiversity Areas that are protected was 64.8% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Share of terrestrial Key Biodiversity Areas that are protected in Japan, 2000–2025
Source: BirdLife International, IUCN and UNEP-WCMC – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Japan recorded 64.8% for share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected in 2025. That is the highest value across all 26 years on record.
The figure is up 26.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected in Japan peaked at 64.8% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 25.2%, in 2000.
That places Japan 65th out of 240 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 26 years of available data.
Share of terrestrial Key Biodiversity Areas that are protected in Japan, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 25.2% | — |
| 2001 | 25.6% | +1.5% |
| 2002 | 25.9% | +1.2% |
| 2003 | 27.7% | +6.9% |
| 2004 | 28.9% | +4.4% |
| 2005 | 30.9% | +6.9% |
| 2006 | 31.9% | +3.2% |
| 2007 | 34.2% | +7.3% |
| 2008 | 35.2% | +2.9% |
| 2009 | 36.3% | +3.0% |
| 2010 | 36.8% | +1.4% |
| 2011 | 38.3% | +4.1% |
| 2012 | 40.7% | +6.3% |
| 2013 | 46.7% | +14.7% |
| 2014 | 49.6% | +6.4% |
| 2015 | 51.1% | +3.0% |
| 2016 | 51.3% | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 52.4% | +2.0% |
| 2018 | 55.3% | +5.5% |
| 2019 | 56.5% | +2.2% |
| 2020 | 57.3% | +1.4% |
| 2021 | 58.8% | +2.7% |
| 2022 | 62.9% | +6.8% |
| 2023 | 64.2% | +2.2% |
| 2024 | 64.8% | +1.0% |
| 2025 | 64.8% | +0.0% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 64.8% is above the median for high income countries, which is 52.5%, 1.2× the median. (83 countries reporting)
- Japan's 64.8% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 38.5%, 1.7× the median. (36 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 30.2% | 25.2% | 36.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 47.9% | 36.8% | 56.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 62.1% | 57.3% | 64.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Japan
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 share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected in Japan?
- Share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected in Japan was 64.8% in 2025, according to BirdLife International, IUCN and UNEP-WCMC – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 64.8% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 25.2% in 2000.
- How does Japan rank for share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected?
- Japan ranks 65th out of 240 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of terrestrial key biodiversity areas that are protected rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 26.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from BirdLife International, IUCN and UNEP-WCMC – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of terrestrial Key Biodiversity Areas that are protected. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 26 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Average proportion of Terrestrial Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) covered by protected areas (%).