Beach litter items per unit of surface area in Japan

Japan: Beach litter items per unit of surface area was 14 in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
14
Change on year
up 16.7%
World rank
45th
of 93 countries
All-time high
196
in 2016
All-time low
9
in 2021
Years of data
10
2015–2024

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

0501001502002015201920242015: 622016: 1962017: 1782018: 472019: 282020: 332021: 92022: 282023: 122024: 14

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.

Analysis

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

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 in 2016 and was at its lowest, 9, in 2021.

Japan ranks 45th of 93 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 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 Value Change
2015 62
2016 196 +216.1%
2017 178 -9.2%
2018 47 -73.6%
2019 28 -40.4%
2020 33 +17.9%
2021 9 -72.7%
2022 28 +211.1%
2023 12 -57.1%
2024 14 +16.7%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2010s 102.2 28 196 5
2020s 19.2 9 33 5

Countries ranked near Japan

  1. 42 Australia and New Zealand 15 compare
  2. 42 Mozambique 15 compare
  3. 42 Slovenia 15 compare
  4. 46 British Virgin Islands 13 compare
  5. 46 Puerto Rico 13 compare
  6. 48 Trinidad and Tobago 12 compare

See the full ranking of 134 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 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 in 2016.
What is the lowest beach litter items per unit of surface area recorded in Japan?
The lowest recorded value was 9 in 2021.
How does Japan rank for beach litter items per unit of surface area?
Japan ranks 45th out of 93 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 04 September 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)
Source
United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database
Licence
UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested)
Coverage
134 places, 1,160 data points, 2015–2024
Last refreshed