Beach litter items per unit of surface area (Number of items per 100) in Japan

Japan: Beach litter items per unit of surface area (Number of items per 100) was 14 num items per 100m2 in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
14 num items per 100m2
Change on year
up 16.7%
World rank
55th
of 107 countries
All-time high
196 num items per 100m2
in 2016
All-time low
9 num items per 100m2
in 2021
Years of data
10
2015–2024

Beach litter items per unit of surface area in Japan, 2015–2024

0501001502002015201920242015: 62 num items per 100m22016: 196 num items per 100m22017: 178 num items per 100m22018: 47 num items per 100m22019: 28 num items per 100m22020: 33 num items per 100m22021: 9 num items per 100m22022: 28 num items per 100m22023: 12 num items per 100m22024: 14 num items per 100m2

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Measured in num items per 100m2.

Analysis

In 2024, beach litter items per unit of surface area in Japan stood at 14 num items per 100m2.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 16.7% on the previous year and down 77.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, beach litter items per unit of surface area in Japan peaked at 196 num items per 100m2 in 2016 and was at its lowest, 9 num items per 100m2, in 2021.

Japan ranks 55th of 107 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Beach litter items per unit of surface area (Number of items per 100) in Japan, year by year

Annual values for Beach litter items per unit of surface area (Number of items per 100 square meters) in Japan, 2015 to 2024.
Year num items per 100m2 Change
2015 62 num items per 100m2 —
2016 196 num items per 100m2 +216.1%
2017 178 num items per 100m2 -9.2%
2018 47 num items per 100m2 -73.6%
2019 28 num items per 100m2 -40.4%
2020 33 num items per 100m2 +17.9%
2021 9 num items per 100m2 -72.7%
2022 28 num items per 100m2 +211.1%
2023 12 num items per 100m2 -57.1%
2024 14 num items per 100m2 +16.7%

Japan compared with similar countries

  • Japan's 14 num items per 100m2 is above the median for high income countries, which is 9 num items per 100m2, 1.6× the median. (53 countries reporting)
  • Japan's 14 num items per 100m2 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 24 num items per 100m2, 58% of the median. (17 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2010s 102.2 num items per 100m2 28 num items per 100m2 196 num items per 100m2 5
2020s 19.2 num items per 100m2 9 num items per 100m2 33 num items per 100m2 5

Countries ranked near Japan

  1. 52 Australia and New Zealand 15 num items per 100m2 compare
  2. 52 Mozambique 15 num items per 100m2 compare
  3. 52 Slovenia 15 num items per 100m2 compare
  4. 56 British Virgin Islands 13 num items per 100m2 compare
  5. 56 Puerto Rico 13 num items per 100m2 compare
  6. 58 Trinidad and Tobago 12 num items per 100m2 compare

See the full ranking of 140 places →

More development goals data for Japan

All data for Japan →

Frequently asked questions

What is beach litter items per unit of surface area in Japan?
Beach litter items per unit of surface area in Japan was 14 num items per 100m2 in 2024, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
What is the highest beach litter items per unit of surface area recorded in Japan?
The highest recorded value was 196 num items per 100m2 in 2016.
What is the lowest beach litter items per unit of surface area recorded in Japan?
The lowest recorded value was 9 num items per 100m2 in 2021.
How does Japan rank for beach litter items per unit of surface area?
Japan ranks 55th out of 107 countries with data for 2024.
Is beach litter items per unit of surface area rising or falling in Japan?
Over the last ten years it is down 77.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Japan data come from?
The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Beach litter items per unit of surface area (Number of items per 100 square meters). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Beach litter items per unit of surface area in Japan. Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Retrieved 07 November 2026, from https://development-goals.statizoid.com/stat/beach-litter-items-per-unit-of-surface-area-number-of-items-per-100-square-meters/japan/

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About this data

Indicator
Beach litter items per unit of surface area (Number of items per 100 square meters)
Unit
num items per 100m2
Source
United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database
Licence
UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested)
Coverage
140 places, 1,211 data points, 2015–2024
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