Alcohol consumption per person in Japan
Japan: Alcohol consumption per person was 6.38 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age in 2020. ▼ Falling
Latest (2020)
6.38 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age
Change on year
down 4.5%
World rank
67th
of 185 countries
All-time high
7.66 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age
in 2000
All-time low
6.38 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age
in 2020
Years of data
21
2000–2020
Alcohol consumption per person in Japan, 2000–2020
Source: Global Health Observatory Data Repository - World Health Organization (WHO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age.
Analysis
Japan recorded 6.38 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age for alcohol consumption per person in 2020. That is the lowest value across all 21 years on record.
The figure is down 4.5% on the previous year and down 5.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, alcohol consumption per person in Japan peaked at 7.66 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age in 2000 and was at its lowest, 6.38 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age, in 2020.
Japan ranks 67th of 185 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 21 years of available data.
Alcohol consumption per person in Japan, year by year
| Year | liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 7.66 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | — |
| 2001 | 7.66 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 7.32 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | -4.4% |
| 2003 | 7.27 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | -0.7% |
| 2004 | 7.33 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +0.8% |
| 2005 | 7.41 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +1.1% |
| 2006 | 7.31 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | -1.3% |
| 2007 | 7.06 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | -3.4% |
| 2008 | 6.84 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | -3.1% |
| 2009 | 6.77 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | -1.0% |
| 2010 | 6.77 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 6.77 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 6.8 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 6.77 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | -0.4% |
| 2014 | 6.76 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 6.72 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | -0.6% |
| 2016 | 6.75 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 6.72 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | -0.4% |
| 2018 | 6.68 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | -0.6% |
| 2019 | 6.68 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 6.38 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | -4.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 7.26 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | 6.77 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | 7.66 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.74 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | 6.68 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | 6.8 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.38 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | 6.38 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | 6.38 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | 1 |
Countries ranked near Japan
- 64 Equatorial Guinea 6.56 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age compare
- 65 Dominican Republic 6.5 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age compare
- 66 Peru 6.45 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age compare
- 68 Cyprus 6.36 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age compare
- 69 Congo 6.05 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age compare
- 70 Trinidad and Tobago 6.03 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age 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)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate -0.821 % change on previous year (2024)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.2964 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), per capita 10,017 constant 2015 US$ per person (2024)
- Imports of goods and services (current US$), annual growth rate -3.01 % change on previous year (2024)
- Imports of goods and services (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2287 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Imports of goods and services (current US$), per capita 7,730 current US$ per person (2024)
- Imports of goods and services (current LCU), annual growth rate 4.49 % change on previous year (2024)
- Imports of goods and services (current LCU), per unit of GDP 34.62 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is alcohol consumption per person in Japan?
- Alcohol consumption per person in Japan was 6.38 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age in 2020, according to Global Health Observatory Data Repository - World Health Organization (WHO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest alcohol consumption per person recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 7.66 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age in 2000.
- What is the lowest alcohol consumption per person recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.38 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age in 2020.
- How does Japan rank for alcohol consumption per person?
- Japan ranks 67th out of 185 countries with data for 2020.
- Is alcohol consumption per person rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from Global Health Observatory Data Repository - World Health Organization (WHO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Alcohol consumption per person. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Estimated consumption of alcohol is measured in liters of pure alcohol per person aged 15 or older, per year.