Photo/Illutration The central government building that houses the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare and the Environment Ministry in Tokyo’s Chiyoda Ward (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

Average life expectancy for both Japanese men and women rose for the first time in three years in 2023, health ministry figures show.

For men, the figure was 81.09 years, up 0.04 year from 2022, while that of women was up 0.05 year to 87.14 years.

In releasing the figures July 26, the ministry said the 2023 data reflected a drop in fatalities from the novel coronavirus infection.

Another factor was a decline in cancer mortality among the elderly, it added.

The number of COVID-19 deaths rose sharply from 16,766 in 2021 to 47,638 in 2022, but declined to 38,080 in 2023.

The number of cancer deaths fell from 385,797 in 2022 to 382,492 in 2023.

On the other hand, average life expectancy has not returned to pre-pandemic levels. It had been growing steadily until 2020 when men could expect to live for a record 81.56 years and women for 87.71 years.

According to the health ministry, although statistical methods vary, Japanese men rank fifth in the world in terms of average life expectancy.

Japanese women have been leading the world since 1985.     

“Japan’s life expectancy is among the highest in the world, indicating the high level of health and welfare,” said a ministry official.

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Top 5 countries in life expectancy　

Female

(1) Japan: 87.14 years
(2) Switzerland: 85.9 years
(3) France: 85.75 years
(4) Spain: 85.74 years
(5) South Korea: 85.6 years

Male

(1) Switzerland 82.3 years
(2) Sweden 81.58 years
(3) Norway 81.39 years 
(4) Australia 81.22 years
(5) Japan 81.09 years 

Compiled from Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare data. Figures for Japan are as of 2023. Other countries use different statistical methods.

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