Japan’s average life expectancy increased in 2025 to 81.35 years for men and 87.33 years for women, according to government and international sources [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. Compared to 2024, male life expectancy grew by 0.25 years, while female life expectancy rose by 0.20 years [1, 2, 3, 4, 5].
Japanese women have held the world’s highest average life expectancy for 41 consecutive years, maintaining their top global position in 2025 [3, 4, 5]. Male life expectancy in Japan, however, dropped from 6th to 7th place globally in 2025, with Sweden taking the top spot for men [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. The gap between female and male life expectancy narrowed slightly from 6.03 years in 2024 to 5.98 years in 2025 [1, 3, 4, 5].
The rebound in life expectancy follows a decline in 2021 and 2022, attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. The improvement is mainly linked to reductions in deaths from cancer, heart disease, and COVID-19 [2, 3, 4, 5]. A health ministry official said, "The increase in average life expectancy may also be related to improved health awareness among citizens and Japan's high medical standards," highlighting additional factors beyond disease reduction [3].
Projected survival rates assume unchanged mortality; about 76.0% of Japanese men and 88.1% of women born in 2025 are expected to live at least to age 75 [2]. Cancer remains a leading cause of death, expected to account for 25.41% of deaths in men and 18.95% in women born this year [2].
Historical data show a dramatic rise in Japan’s life expectancy since 1947, when average life spans were 50.06 years for men and 53.96 years for women [1, 3]. By 2020, those figures had climbed to 81.56 and 87.71 years respectively [1, 3].
Japan’s male life expectancy rank slipped one spot to 7th worldwide in 2025, while female rankings remain firmly in first place [1, 3, 4, 5]. The next official global life expectancy review is expected in 2026, pending further demographic data releases.
