Ageing healthcare workforce - Regions — Active physicians in Japan

Japan: Ageing healthcare workforce - Regions — Active physicians was 2.7 Per 1 000 inhabitants in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
2.7 Per 1 000 inhabitants
Change on year
up 1.9%
World rank
39th
of 44 countries
All-time high
2.7 Per 1 000 inhabitants
in 2024
All-time low
1.84 Per 1 000 inhabitants
in 1996
Years of data
15
1996–2024

Ageing healthcare workforce - Regions — Active physicians in Japan, 1996–2024

01231996201020241996: 1.8 Per 1 000 inhabitants1998: 1.9 Per 1 000 inhabitants2000: 1.9 Per 1 000 inhabitants2002: 2 Per 1 000 inhabitants2004: 2 Per 1 000 inhabitants2006: 2.1 Per 1 000 inhabitants2008: 2.1 Per 1 000 inhabitants2010: 2.2 Per 1 000 inhabitants2012: 2.3 Per 1 000 inhabitants2014: 2.4 Per 1 000 inhabitants2016: 2.4 Per 1 000 inhabitants2018: 2.5 Per 1 000 inhabitants2020: 2.6 Per 1 000 inhabitants2022: 2.6 Per 1 000 inhabitants2024: 2.7 Per 1 000 inhabitants

Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Per 1 000 inhabitants.

Analysis

The most recent figure for ageing healthcare workforce - regions — active physicians in Japan is 2.7 Per 1 000 inhabitants, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 15 years on record.

The figure is up 1.9% on the previous year and up 14.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, ageing healthcare workforce - regions — active physicians in Japan peaked at 2.7 Per 1 000 inhabitants in 2024 and was at its lowest, 1.84 Per 1 000 inhabitants, in 1996.

That places Japan 39th out of 44 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 1.86 Per 1 000 inhabitants 1.84 Per 1 000 inhabitants 1.89 Per 1 000 inhabitants 2
2000s 2.03 Per 1 000 inhabitants 1.93 Per 1 000 inhabitants 2.15 Per 1 000 inhabitants 5
2010s 2.36 Per 1 000 inhabitants 2.21 Per 1 000 inhabitants 2.49 Per 1 000 inhabitants 5
2020s 2.65 Per 1 000 inhabitants 2.6 Per 1 000 inhabitants 2.7 Per 1 000 inhabitants 3

Countries ranked near Japan

  1. 36 Luxembourg 2.98 Per 1 000 inhabitants compare
  2. 37 United Kingdom 2.95 Per 1 000 inhabitants compare
  3. 38 Peru 2.83 Per 1 000 inhabitants compare
  4. 40 Chile 2.46 Per 1 000 inhabitants compare
  5. 41 Canada 2.41 Per 1 000 inhabitants compare
  6. 42 Colombia 2.34 Per 1 000 inhabitants compare

See the full ranking of 48 places →

More work & labour data for Japan

All data for Japan →

Frequently asked questions

What is ageing healthcare workforce - regions — active physicians in Japan?
Ageing healthcare workforce - regions — active physicians in Japan was 2.7 Per 1 000 inhabitants in 2024, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
What is the highest ageing healthcare workforce - regions — active physicians recorded in Japan?
The highest recorded value was 2.7 Per 1 000 inhabitants in 2024.
What is the lowest ageing healthcare workforce - regions — active physicians recorded in Japan?
The lowest recorded value was 1.84 Per 1 000 inhabitants in 1996.
How does Japan rank for ageing healthcare workforce - regions — active physicians?
Japan ranks 39th out of 44 countries with data for 2024.
Is ageing healthcare workforce - regions — active physicians rising or falling in Japan?
Over the last ten years it is up 14.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Japan data come from?
The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Ageing healthcare workforce - Regions — Active physicians. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Ageing healthcare workforce - Regions — Active physicians in Japan. Statizoid, drawing on Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Retrieved 17 August 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/ageing-healthcare-workforce-regions-active-physicians/japan/

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About this data

Indicator
Ageing healthcare workforce - Regions — Active physicians
Unit
Per 1 000 inhabitants
Source
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Licence
OECD Terms and Conditions (attribution required)
Coverage
48 places, 1,174 data points, 1995–2025
Last refreshed

<p style="text-align: justify;">This dataset presents indicators on physicians ageing across large regions (TL2), and small regions (TL3) where available.</p> <p><strong>Data definition and source</strong></p> <ul> <li><strong>Doctors</strong> (physicians) are usually generalists who assume responsibility for the provision of continuing care to individuals and families, or specialists such as paediatricians, obstetricians/gynaecologists, psychiatrists, medical specialists and surgical specialists.</li> <li><strong>Age groups cover</strong>&nbsp;total, 55&ndash;64, and 65 years and over.&nbsp;</li> </ul> <p>Data is collected from Eurostat (reg_hlth) for EU countries and via delegates of the OECD Working Party on Territorial Indicators (WPTI), as well as from national statistical offices' websites.</p> <p><strong>Definition of regions</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Regions are subnational units below national boundaries. OECD countries have two regional levels: large regions (territorial level 2 or TL2) and small regions (territorial level 3 or TL3). For more information, see the OECD Territorial grid <a href="https://webfs-cfe.oecd.org/files/.Stat/region/OECD_territorial-grid_TL2024.pdf">(pdf)</a> and the OECD Territorial Correspondence Table <a href="https://webfs-cfe.oecd.org/files/.Stat/region/OECD%20Territorial%20correspondence%20-%20TL2024c.xlsx">(xlsx)</a>.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Cite this dataset</strong></p> <p>OECD Regions, Cities and Local Areas database&nbsp;<a href="http://oe.cd/geostats">http://oe.cd/geostats</a>.</p> <p><strong>Further information</strong></p> <ul> <li><a href="https://regions-cities-atlas.oecd.org/">OECD Regions and Cities Statistical Atlas</a>&nbsp;</li> <li><a href="https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/oecd-regions-and-cities-at-a-glance-2024_f42db3bf-en.html">OECD Regions and Cities at a Glance</a></li> </ul> <p>For questions and/or comments, please email <a href="mailto:RegionStat@oecd.org">RegionStat@oecd.org</a>.</p>