Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in Japan

Japan: Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income was 13.4% in 2020. ▬ Flat

Latest (2020)
13.4%
Change on year
up 0.8%
World rank
41st
of 130 countries
All-time high
15.4%
in 2008
All-time low
10.7%
in 2014
Years of data
13
2008–2020

Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in Japan, 2008–2020

0510152008201420202008: 15.42009: 13.32010: 12.12011: 13.22012: 12.32013: 12.82014: 10.72015: 11.32016: 12.52017: 11.72018: 14.22019: 13.32020: 13.4

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.

Analysis

Japan recorded 13.4% for proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in 2020.

That represents a change of up 0.8% on the previous year and up 10.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in Japan peaked at 15.4% in 2008 and was at its lowest, 10.7%, in 2014.

Japan ranks 41st of 130 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in Japan, year by year

Annual values for Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income (%) in Japan, 2008 to 2020.
Year Value Change
2008 15.4%
2009 13.3% -13.6%
2010 12.1% -9.0%
2011 13.2% +9.1%
2012 12.3% -6.8%
2013 12.8% +4.1%
2014 10.7% -16.4%
2015 11.3% +5.6%
2016 12.5% +10.6%
2017 11.7% -6.4%
2018 14.2% +21.4%
2019 13.3% -6.3%
2020 13.4% +0.8%

Japan compared with similar countries

  • Japan's 13.4% is above the median for high income countries, which is 11.7%, 1.1× the median. (41 countries reporting)
  • Japan's 13.4% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 11.3%, 1.2× the median. (11 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 14.4% 13.3% 15.4% 2
2010s 12.4% 10.7% 14.2% 10
2020s 13.4% 13.4% 13.4% 1

Countries ranked near Japan

  1. 38 Luxembourg 14.4% compare
  2. 39 Serbia 14.3% compare
  3. 40 Chile 13.9% compare
  4. 41 Tajikistan 13.4% compare
  5. 41 Uganda 13.4% compare
  6. 41 Viet Nam 13.4% compare
  7. 41 Viet Nam 13.4% compare

See the full ranking of 131 places →

More infrastructure data for Japan

All data for Japan →

Frequently asked questions

What is proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in Japan?
Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in Japan was 13.4% in 2020, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
What is the highest proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income recorded in Japan?
The highest recorded value was 15.4% in 2008.
What is the lowest proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income recorded in Japan?
The lowest recorded value was 10.7% in 2014.
How does Japan rank for proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income?
Japan ranks 41st out of 130 countries with data for 2020.
Is proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income rising or falling in Japan?
Over the last ten years it is up 10.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this Japan data come from?
The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in Japan. Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Retrieved 16 September 2026, from https://infrastructure.statizoid.com/stat/proportion-of-people-living-below-50-percent-of-median-income-percent-2/japan/

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About this data

Indicator
Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income (%)
Source
United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database
Licence
UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested)
Coverage
131 places, 2,510 data points, 1963–2025
Last refreshed