Japan¡¯s average life expectancy rose for both men and women in 2025, a?health ministry survey has shown, with the increase believed to be the result of a decrease in?disease-related deaths.
For men,?average life expectancy was?81.35 years, up?0.25 years from the previous year. For women, the figure was?87.33 years, up?by 0.2 years.
The ministry said Friday it believes the increases are due to a decrease in deaths caused by cancer, heart disease and COVID-19.
Average life expectancy indicates how many years newborns in a given year are expected to live, on average.
Japan¡¯s average life expectancy had mostly steadily increased since 1947 but declined in 2021 and 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The index rebounded in 2023, thanks to a decline in COVID-19 deaths, and remained almost flat in 2024.
Compared with other countries, Japan ranked seventh in male life expectancy, following Sweden, Switzerland, Italy and others, while taking the top spot in female life expectancy.
Assuming that mortality rates do not change, 76.0% of Japanese men and 88.1% of Japanese women are expected to live at least until the age of 75. Those who are expected to reach the age of 90 account for 26.7% of men and 50.8% of women.
Of Japanese men born in 2025, 25.41% are expected to die from cancer, and 13.60% from heart disease. Among women, old age is expected to be the most common cause of death, at 21.74%, followed by cancer, at 18.95%.
Without any cancer deaths, the average life expectancy is estimated to be 3.07 years higher for men and 2.66 years higher for women than when such deaths are included.
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