Average life expectancy falls for 2nd straight year in Japan

In 2022, life expectancy for Japanese women was the highest in the world, while Japanese men ranked fourth

Tokyo: The average life expectancy fell for both Japanese men and women for a second consecutive year in 2022, a Health Ministry survey revealed.

According to the Ministry,the average lifespan for women fell 0.49 years from 2021 to 87.09 years, while the figure for men dropped 0.42 years to 81.05 years, reports Xinhua news agency. Deaths from the Covid-19 pandemic were a major factor of the drops, it added.

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According to the Ministry, the reported number of people who died after getting infected with the coronavirus rose to 47,635 in 2022, up more than 30,000 from 2021. Health Ministry officials said the average life spans could increase again as the pandemic eases.

In 2022, life expectancy for Japanese women was the highest in the world, while Japanese men ranked fourth, down by one place from the preceding year, after Switzerland, Sweden and Australia.