Spirits consumption per person in Japan
Japan: Spirits consumption per person was 1.2 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2022)
1.2 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year
Change on year
up 7.1%
World rank
85th
of 187 countries
All-time high
3.05 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year
in 1988
All-time low
0.34 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year
in 2007
Years of data
62
1961–2022
Spirits consumption per person in Japan, 1961–2022
Source: World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in Litres of pure alcohol per person per year.
Analysis
In 2022, spirits consumption per person in Japan stood at 1.2 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 7.1% on the previous year and up 130.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, spirits consumption per person in Japan peaked at 3.05 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year in 1988 and was at its lowest, 0.34 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year, in 2007.
That places Japan 85th out of 187 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Spirits consumption per person in Japan, year by year
| Year | Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 2.08 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | — |
| 1962 | 2.05 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -1.4% |
| 1963 | 1.91 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -6.8% |
| 1964 | 1.79 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -6.3% |
| 1965 | 1.51 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -15.6% |
| 1966 | 1.64 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +8.6% |
| 1967 | 1.61 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -1.8% |
| 1968 | 1.63 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +1.2% |
| 1969 | 1.49 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -8.6% |
| 1970 | 1.56 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +4.7% |
| 1971 | 1.62 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +3.8% |
| 1972 | 1.73 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +6.8% |
| 1973 | 1.74 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +0.6% |
| 1974 | 1.84 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +5.7% |
| 1975 | 1.93 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +4.9% |
| 1976 | 2.1 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +8.8% |
| 1977 | 2.22 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +5.7% |
| 1978 | 2.28 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +2.7% |
| 1979 | 2.52 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +10.5% |
| 1980 | 2.25 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -10.7% |
| 1981 | 2.26 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +0.4% |
| 1982 | 2.42 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +7.1% |
| 1983 | 2.67 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +10.3% |
| 1984 | 3.03 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +13.5% |
| 1985 | 2.94 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -3.0% |
| 1986 | 2.93 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -0.3% |
| 1987 | 2.81 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -4.1% |
| 1988 | 3.05 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +8.5% |
| 1989 | 2.63 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -13.8% |
| 1990 | 3.01 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +14.4% |
| 1991 | 2.6 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -13.6% |
| 1992 | 2.69 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +3.5% |
| 1993 | 2.87 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +6.7% |
| 1994 | 2.77 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -3.5% |
| 1995 | 2.8 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +1.1% |
| 1996 | 2.87 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +2.5% |
| 1997 | 2.88 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +0.3% |
| 1998 | 2.78 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -3.5% |
| 1999 | 2.99 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +7.6% |
| 2000 | 2.94 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -1.7% |
| 2001 | 0.47 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -84.0% |
| 2002 | 0.42 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -10.6% |
| 2003 | 0.39 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -7.1% |
| 2004 | 0.37 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -5.1% |
| 2005 | 0.35 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -5.4% |
| 2006 | 0.35 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 0.34 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -2.9% |
| 2008 | 0.38 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +11.8% |
| 2009 | 0.43 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +13.2% |
| 2010 | 0.48 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +11.6% |
| 2011 | 0.5 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +4.2% |
| 2012 | 0.52 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +4.0% |
| 2013 | 0.57 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +9.6% |
| 2014 | 0.63 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +10.5% |
| 2015 | 0.71 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +12.7% |
| 2016 | 0.78 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +9.9% |
| 2017 | 0.87 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +11.5% |
| 2018 | 0.97 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +11.5% |
| 2019 | 1.06 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +9.3% |
| 2020 | 1.08 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +1.9% |
| 2021 | 1.12 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +3.7% |
| 2022 | 1.2 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +7.1% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 1.2 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year is below the median for high income countries, which is 1.79 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year, 67% of the median. (59 countries reporting)
- Japan's 1.2 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.45 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year, 2.7× the median. (28 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Spirits consumption per person in Japan changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | -84.0% | 2.94 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 0.47 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.75 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 1.49 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 2.08 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 9 |
| 1970s | 1.95 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 1.56 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 2.52 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.7 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 2.25 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 3.05 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.83 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 2.6 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 3.01 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.644 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 0.34 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 2.94 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.709 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 0.48 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 1.06 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.13 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 1.08 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 1.2 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 3 |
Countries ranked near Japan
- 82 Israel 1.31 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year compare
- 83 Myanmar 1.23 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year compare
- 84 Sweden 1.22 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year compare
- 86 Norway 1.14 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year compare
- 87 Albania 1.13 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year compare
- 88 Honduras 1.11 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year compare
More economy & growth data for Japan
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.03 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 0.4463 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 217.76 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0491 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 1,765 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 45.81 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 142.69 % change on previous year (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0103 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 371.3 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 11.44 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is spirits consumption per person in Japan?
- Spirits consumption per person in Japan was 1.2 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year in 2022, according to World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest spirits consumption per person recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 3.05 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year in 1988.
- What is the lowest spirits consumption per person recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.34 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year in 2007.
- How does Japan rank for spirits consumption per person?
- Japan ranks 85th out of 187 countries with data for 2022.
- Is spirits consumption per person rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 130.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Spirits consumption per person. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Spirit consumption per person, measured in liters of pure alcohol per year. Spirits are distilled alcoholic drinks and include gin, rum, whisky, tequila and vodka.