Total waste generation in Japan
Japan: Total waste generation was 81.27 million tonnes in 2019. ▼ Falling
Total waste generation in Japan, 2000–2019
Source: United Nations Statistics Division and United Nations Environment Programme – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
Japan recorded 81.27 million tonnes for total waste generation in 2019.
The figure is up 0.4% on the previous year and down 8.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total waste generation in Japan peaked at 90.83 million tonnes in 2000 and was at its lowest, 78.32 million tonnes, in 2017.
Japan ranks 1st of 62 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 20 years of available data.
Total waste generation in Japan, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 90.83 million tonnes | — |
| 2001 | 90.46 million tonnes | -0.4% |
| 2002 | 90.16 million tonnes | -0.3% |
| 2003 | 90.60 million tonnes | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 89.30 million tonnes | -1.4% |
| 2005 | 87.58 million tonnes | -1.9% |
| 2006 | 87.94 million tonnes | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 87.84 million tonnes | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 87.99 million tonnes | +0.2% |
| 2009 | 88.45 million tonnes | +0.5% |
| 2010 | 85.11 million tonnes | -3.8% |
| 2011 | 84.74 million tonnes | -0.4% |
| 2012 | 85.72 million tonnes | +1.2% |
| 2013 | 82.96 million tonnes | -3.2% |
| 2014 | 81.91 million tonnes | -1.3% |
| 2015 | 80.95 million tonnes | -1.2% |
| 2016 | 80.91 million tonnes | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 78.32 million tonnes | -3.2% |
| 2018 | 80.96 million tonnes | +3.4% |
| 2019 | 81.27 million tonnes | +0.4% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 81.27 million tonnes is above the median for high income countries, which is 293,977 tonnes, 276.4× the median. (39 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 89.12 million tonnes | 87.58 million tonnes | 90.83 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 82.29 million tonnes | 78.32 million tonnes | 85.72 million tonnes | 10 |
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 total waste generation in Japan?
- Total waste generation in Japan was 81.27 million tonnes in 2019, according to United Nations Statistics Division and United Nations Environment Programme – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest total waste generation recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 90.83 million tonnes in 2000.
- What is the lowest total waste generation recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 78.32 million tonnes in 2017.
- How does Japan rank for total waste generation?
- Japan ranks 1st out of 62 countries with data for 2019.
- Is total waste generation rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.1%. 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 and United Nations Environment Programme – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Total waste generation. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 20 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Total waste generation, by activity (Tonnes).