Animals slaughtered for meat in Japan
Japan: Animals slaughtered for meat was 1.03 million in 2024. ▬ Flat
Latest (2024)
1.03 million
Change on year
down 7.9%
World rank
54th
of 198 countries
All-time high
1.58 million
in 1985
All-time low
752,669
in 1967
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Animals slaughtered for meat in Japan, 1961–2024
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for animals slaughtered for meat in Japan is 1.03 million, measured in 2024.
The figure is down 7.9% on the previous year and down 11.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, animals slaughtered for meat in Japan peaked at 1.58 million in 1985 and was at its lowest, 752,669, in 1967.
That places Japan 54th out of 198 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
Animals slaughtered for meat in Japan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 813,980 | — |
| 1962 | 844,340 | +3.7% |
| 1963 | 1.09 million | +28.9% |
| 1964 | 1.29 million | +18.5% |
| 1965 | 1.17 million | -9.4% |
| 1966 | 812,967 | -30.4% |
| 1967 | 752,669 | -7.4% |
| 1968 | 805,882 | +7.1% |
| 1969 | 1.15 million | +43.1% |
| 1970 | 1.30 million | +12.6% |
| 1971 | 1.25 million | -3.4% |
| 1972 | 1.21 million | -3.5% |
| 1973 | 841,533 | -30.5% |
| 1974 | 1.15 million | +37.2% |
| 1975 | 1.27 million | +10.0% |
| 1976 | 1.02 million | -19.4% |
| 1977 | 1.20 million | +17.0% |
| 1978 | 1.26 million | +5.4% |
| 1979 | 1.23 million | -2.7% |
| 1980 | 1.23 million | +0.2% |
| 1981 | 1.37 million | +10.9% |
| 1982 | 1.40 million | +2.4% |
| 1983 | 1.43 million | +2.5% |
| 1984 | 1.54 million | +7.2% |
| 1985 | 1.58 million | +2.5% |
| 1986 | 1.55 million | -1.4% |
| 1987 | 1.51 million | -3.0% |
| 1988 | 1.46 million | -3.1% |
| 1989 | 1.39 million | -4.7% |
| 1990 | 1.39 million | -0.1% |
| 1991 | 1.45 million | +4.1% |
| 1992 | 1.49 million | +2.9% |
| 1993 | 1.51 million | +1.3% |
| 1994 | 1.54 million | +1.7% |
| 1995 | 1.50 million | -2.0% |
| 1996 | 1.39 million | -7.7% |
| 1997 | 1.34 million | -3.7% |
| 1998 | 1.32 million | -1.2% |
| 1999 | 1.34 million | +1.5% |
| 2000 | 1.28 million | -4.5% |
| 2001 | 1.12 million | -12.6% |
| 2002 | 1.24 million | +10.6% |
| 2003 | 1.24 million | -0.0% |
| 2004 | 1.25 million | +1.2% |
| 2005 | 1.23 million | -2.2% |
| 2006 | 1.22 million | -0.7% |
| 2007 | 1.21 million | -0.8% |
| 2008 | 1.24 million | +2.5% |
| 2009 | 1.23 million | -0.8% |
| 2010 | 1.22 million | -0.7% |
| 2011 | 1.17 million | -3.6% |
| 2012 | 1.20 million | +2.2% |
| 2013 | 1.19 million | -1.2% |
| 2014 | 1.16 million | -2.4% |
| 2015 | 1.11 million | -4.3% |
| 2016 | 1.05 million | -5.0% |
| 2017 | 1.05 million | -0.6% |
| 2018 | 1.06 million | +1.1% |
| 2019 | 1.05 million | -0.9% |
| 2020 | 1.06 million | +1.4% |
| 2021 | 1.06 million | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 1.09 million | +2.9% |
| 2023 | 1.11 million | +2.1% |
| 2024 | 1.03 million | -7.9% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 1.03 million is above the median for high income countries, which is 161,025, 6.4× the median. (64 countries reporting)
- Japan's 1.03 million is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 117,197, 8.8× the median. (29 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Animals slaughtered for meat 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | +43.1% | 805,882 | 1.15 million |
| 1974 | +37.2% | 841,533 | 1.15 million |
| 1966 | -30.4% | 1.17 million | 812,967 |
| 1973 | -30.5% | 1.21 million | 841,533 |
| 1963 | +28.9% | 844,340 | 1.09 million |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 970,052 | 752,669 | 1.29 million | 9 |
| 1970s | 1.17 million | 841,533 | 1.30 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.45 million | 1.23 million | 1.58 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.43 million | 1.32 million | 1.54 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.22 million | 1.12 million | 1.28 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.12 million | 1.05 million | 1.22 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.07 million | 1.03 million | 1.11 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near Japan
- 51 Egypt 1.16 million compare
- 52 South Korea 1.11 million compare
- 53 Ecuador 1.08 million compare
- 55 South Sudan 966,271 compare
- 56 Turkmenistan 909,318 compare
- 57 Tajikistan 887,582 compare
More agriculture & rural data for Japan
- Cropland extent over the long-term, annual growth rate -0.5564 % change on previous year (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per capita 0.0345 hectares per person (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, annual growth rate -0.6075 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per capita 0.0369 hectares per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 10.95 % change on previous year (2024)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0096 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 323.87 current US$ per person (2024)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -1.89 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is animals slaughtered for meat in Japan?
- Animals slaughtered for meat in Japan was 1.03 million in 2024, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest animals slaughtered for meat recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 1.58 million in 1985.
- What is the lowest animals slaughtered for meat recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 752,669 in 1967.
- How does Japan rank for animals slaughtered for meat?
- Japan ranks 54th out of 198 countries with data for 2024.
- Is animals slaughtered for meat rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Animals slaughtered for meat. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 64 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).