Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in Japan

Japan: Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population was 15.5% in 2024. ▬ Flat

Latest (2024)
15.5%
Change on year
up 7.5%
World rank
125th
of 147 countries
All-time high
16.5%
in 2003
All-time low
10.7%
in 2008
Years of data
22
2003–2024

Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in Japan, 2003–2024

0510152003201320242003: 16.52004: 152005: 13.62006: 12.12007: 11.12008: 10.72009: 10.82010: 11.12011: 11.22012: 10.92013: 10.92014: 11.52015: 11.32016: 11.22017: 11.12018: 11.52019: 12.42020: 13.32021: 12.72022: 12.62023: 14.42024: 15.5

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.

Analysis

The most recent figure for unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in Japan is 15.5%, measured in 2024.

That represents a change of up 7.5% on the previous year and up 34.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in Japan peaked at 16.5% in 2003 and was at its lowest, 10.7%, in 2008.

Japan ranks 125th of 147 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in Japan, year by year

Annual values for Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population (%) in Japan, 2003 to 2024.
Year Value Change
2003 16.5%
2004 15.0% -9.2%
2005 13.6% -9.7%
2006 12.1% -10.8%
2007 11.1% -8.8%
2008 10.7% -3.0%
2009 10.8% +1.2%
2010 11.1% +2.1%
2011 11.2% +0.6%
2012 10.9% -1.9%
2013 10.9% -0.4%
2014 11.5% +5.5%
2015 11.3% -2.1%
2016 11.2% -0.5%
2017 11.1% -1.1%
2018 11.5% +3.8%
2019 12.4% +7.6%
2020 13.3% +7.2%
2021 12.7% -4.4%
2022 12.6% -0.4%
2023 14.4% +14.0%
2024 15.5% +7.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 12.8% 10.7% 16.5% 7
2010s 11.3% 10.9% 12.4% 10
2020s 13.7% 12.6% 15.5% 5

Countries ranked near Japan

  1. 122 Spain 17.7% compare
  2. 123 Malawi 17.6% compare
  3. 124 Italy 16.9% compare
  4. 126 Russian Federation 15.4% compare
  5. 127 Kuwait 14.6% compare
  6. 128 Liechtenstein 14.3% compare

See the full ranking of 186 places →

More infrastructure data for Japan

All data for Japan →

Frequently asked questions

What is unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in Japan?
Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in Japan was 15.5% in 2024, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
What is the highest unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population recorded in Japan?
The highest recorded value was 16.5% in 2003.
What is the lowest unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population recorded in Japan?
The lowest recorded value was 10.7% in 2008.
How does Japan rank for unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population?
Japan ranks 125th out of 147 countries with data for 2024.
Is unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population rising or falling in Japan?
Over the last ten years it is up 34.6%. 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 Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 22 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).

Share, cite or embed this page

Cite this page

Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in Japan. Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Retrieved 31 August 2026, from https://infrastructure.statizoid.com/stat/unsentenced-detainees-as-a-proportion-of-overall-prison-population-percent/japan/

Embed or link this data

Paste this into a page to link back to these figures. The data itself is free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested); please keep the attribution.

<a href="https://infrastructure.statizoid.com/stat/unsentenced-detainees-as-a-proportion-of-overall-prison-population-percent/japan/">Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in Japan</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator
Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population (%)
Source
United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database
Licence
UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested)
Coverage
186 places, 3,007 data points, 2003–2024
Last refreshed