Fish landings and discards in Japan
Japan: Fish landings and discards was 414,441 in 2018. ▼ Falling
Latest (2018)
414,441
Change on year
down 1.3%
World rank
5th
of 161 countries
All-time high
1.37 million
in 1985
All-time low
414,441
in 2018
Years of data
69
1950–2018
Fish landings and discards in Japan, 1950–2018
Source: Sea Around Us (2020) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for fish landings and discards in Japan is 414,441, measured in 2018. That is the lowest value across all 69 years on record.
The figure is down 1.3% on the previous year and down 28.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fish landings and discards in Japan peaked at 1.37 million in 1985 and was at its lowest, 414,441, in 2018.
That places Japan 5th out of 161 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 69 years of available data.
Fish landings and discards in Japan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 497,227 | — |
| 1951 | 517,073 | +4.0% |
| 1952 | 560,608 | +8.4% |
| 1953 | 551,964 | -1.5% |
| 1954 | 559,698 | +1.4% |
| 1955 | 592,193 | +5.8% |
| 1956 | 770,062 | +30.0% |
| 1957 | 840,132 | +9.1% |
| 1958 | 507,195 | -39.6% |
| 1959 | 556,072 | +9.6% |
| 1960 | 640,063 | +15.1% |
| 1961 | 712,693 | +11.3% |
| 1962 | 672,383 | -5.7% |
| 1963 | 656,895 | -2.3% |
| 1964 | 741,698 | +12.9% |
| 1965 | 694,641 | -6.3% |
| 1966 | 711,128 | +2.4% |
| 1967 | 829,549 | +16.7% |
| 1968 | 836,451 | +0.8% |
| 1969 | 852,406 | +1.9% |
| 1970 | 917,326 | +7.6% |
| 1971 | 993,139 | +8.3% |
| 1972 | 1.02 million | +2.4% |
| 1973 | 990,594 | -2.6% |
| 1974 | 1.00 million | +1.3% |
| 1975 | 987,360 | -1.6% |
| 1976 | 1.03 million | +4.3% |
| 1977 | 1.00 million | -2.6% |
| 1978 | 950,516 | -5.2% |
| 1979 | 972,931 | +2.4% |
| 1980 | 1.05 million | +8.0% |
| 1981 | 1.08 million | +2.9% |
| 1982 | 1.09 million | +0.7% |
| 1983 | 1.15 million | +5.7% |
| 1984 | 1.32 million | +15.2% |
| 1985 | 1.37 million | +3.1% |
| 1986 | 1.23 million | -10.0% |
| 1987 | 1.15 million | -6.3% |
| 1988 | 1.12 million | -2.5% |
| 1989 | 1.19 million | +5.7% |
| 1990 | 1.22 million | +2.9% |
| 1991 | 1.04 million | -14.9% |
| 1992 | 1.01 million | -3.0% |
| 1993 | 1.02 million | +1.3% |
| 1994 | 959,898 | -5.9% |
| 1995 | 986,304 | +2.8% |
| 1996 | 907,982 | -7.9% |
| 1997 | 938,263 | +3.3% |
| 1998 | 860,801 | -8.3% |
| 1999 | 805,356 | -6.4% |
| 2000 | 768,672 | -4.6% |
| 2001 | 725,295 | -5.6% |
| 2002 | 692,065 | -4.6% |
| 2003 | 645,807 | -6.7% |
| 2004 | 606,937 | -6.0% |
| 2005 | 587,783 | -3.2% |
| 2006 | 562,084 | -4.4% |
| 2007 | 563,930 | +0.3% |
| 2008 | 577,580 | +2.4% |
| 2009 | 516,684 | -10.5% |
| 2010 | 568,324 | +10.0% |
| 2011 | 526,952 | -7.3% |
| 2012 | 527,256 | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 511,584 | -3.0% |
| 2014 | 500,533 | -2.2% |
| 2015 | 490,052 | -2.1% |
| 2016 | 430,977 | -12.1% |
| 2017 | 419,903 | -2.6% |
| 2018 | 414,441 | -1.3% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 414,441 is above the median for high income countries, which is 8,028, 51.6× the median. (61 countries reporting)
- Japan's 414,441 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 5,675, 73.0× the median. (28 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 595,222 | 497,227 | 840,132 | 10 |
| 1960s | 734,791 | 640,063 | 852,406 | 10 |
| 1970s | 986,471 | 917,326 | 1.03 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.18 million | 1.05 million | 1.37 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 974,713 | 805,356 | 1.22 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 624,684 | 516,684 | 768,672 | 10 |
| 2010s | 487,780 | 414,441 | 568,324 | 9 |
Countries ranked near Japan
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 fish landings and discards in Japan?
- Fish landings and discards in Japan was 414,441 in 2018, according to Sea Around Us (2020) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest fish landings and discards recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 1.37 million in 1985.
- What is the lowest fish landings and discards recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 414,441 in 2018.
- How does Japan rank for fish landings and discards?
- Japan ranks 5th out of 161 countries with data for 2018.
- Is fish landings and discards rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 28.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from Sea Around Us (2020) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Fish landings and discards. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 69 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
– Landings represent aquatic animals that are caught and brought ashore for use. – Discards are animals thrown back (alive or dead) into the sea after being caught during fishing activities.