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Average height of Japanese women and men

LIfe expectance of Japanese

When you live in Japan for a few years for work or other reasons, it is basically necessary to understand and follow the “rules of Japan” while living here.

However, while you can gradually learn the Japanese language, food, work, etc. while living in Japan, you cannot know the various data about the Japanese people without doing some research.

If you know such data on the Japanese national character, you will be able to understand Japan better, and it will be useful for conversation and so on.

In this article, we would like to explain such “data on average height, average annual income, average life expectancy, etc. of Japanese people.

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Average Height in Japan women and men

Many foreigners who come to Japan may first feel that “Japanese people are small.

This is because Japan is a country with a very short stature compared to Western countries.

For example, the average height for men is 183.2 cm in the Netherlands, 182.6 cm in Denmark, and 182.4 cm in Norway, while the average height of Japanese is 170.7 cm, more than 10 cm shorter.

For women, the Netherlands ranks first with 170.7 cm, Montenegro second with 168.4 cm, and Denmark third with 168.7 cm, while Japanese women are 157.5 cm, again more than 10 cm shorter than the top countries.

Living in Japan, you may notice that the height of public facilities is low.

From the point of view of people who are over 180 cm, they may find it quite difficult to live in Japan.

This is due to the fact that most Japanese people are 175 cm or shorter.

The height of public toilets, ticket gates, park benches, residential kitchens, and everything else is made to suit the height of Japanese people.

You will have to get used to this, but you should look for and buy chairs and tables of a higher size for the furniture and other items in the house you live in.

Reference: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey14 Mean and standard deviation of height and weight | statistical tables and graphs | General Contact of Government Statistics (see 2022/7/11)

average hight of Japanese

Average Annual Income in Japan

The average annual income in Japan has not changed that much over the past 20 years, and was “4.43 million yen” in 2022.

Incidentally, the “median,” which is felt to be average in the general sense, is “3.5 million yen.

In other words, there are a very large number of Japanese company employees with annual incomes between 3 and 4 million yen.

From Western countries, this annual income may seem somewhat low.

For example, in countries such as Switzerland, the U.S., Iceland, the Netherlands, and Belgium, the average annual income is over “5 million yen.

Countries such as Austria, Denmark, Germany, Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom also have an average annual income of over 4 million yen, so Japan is not a country with a very high annual income in the world.

Many people find it surprising that Japan, which ranks third in the world in terms of GDP (Gross Domestic Product), does not have such a high annual income.

One of the major reasons for this is “lifetime employment.

The system in which salary increases the longer a person works for the same company, is the mainstream.

In addition, a “seniority system” was also the norm, so that as one’s age increased, one’s salary naturally increased, and one’s position also increased.

This trend began to change only about 10 years ago.

Today in Japan, many companies have abolished lifetime employment and seniority lists, and there has been a gradual shift toward a meritocratic society.

However, due to the system that has been in place for decades, it is highly likely that it will be some time before Japan becomes a fully meritocratic society.

Reference: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey14 Mean and standard deviation for height and weight | statistical tables and graphs | General Contact of Government Statistics (see 2022/7/11)

Average income of Japanese

Average life expectancy of Japanese people

Japan has long been known as a country of longevity.

In 2022, it is still ranked first in the world, with an average life expectancy of “82 years” for males and “88 years” for females.

Many African countries have an average life expectancy in the 50s, so you can see how long life expectancy is in Japan.

In Japan, people tend to be very health-conscious.

Many people make a habit of dieting and actively eat healthy foods.

While some younger people do not lag behind in healthy eating habits because they prefer fatty foods, many Japanese in their 40s and older are careful about their diets in order to live longer.

Longevity is also related to the fact that Japan is a “medical superpower.

The number of hospital beds, CT scanners, MRIs, and hospital stays per 1,000 population is among the highest in the G7 countries, and although the number of doctors itself is low, overall, many people have stable access to medical care.

Since health awareness is likely to remain high in the future, the average life expectancy of Japanese people will continue to be among the highest in the world.

Reference: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, “2020 White Paper on Health, Labour and Welfare: Social Security and Work Styles in the Era of 2020 – Trends in Average Life Expectancy” (Japanese only)

Conclusion

In this issue, we have explained “data on average height, average annual income, and average life expectancy of Japanese people.

We have listed the average height, average annual income, and average life expectancy of the Japanese people, and we hope that you now have a better understanding of the national character of Japan.

Although these are not things that frequently appear in conversation, it may be good to keep them in mind in order to better understand the Japanese people.

By studying other characteristics and data of the Japanese people on a daily basis, you will be able to better understand the characteristics of the Japanese people and make your life easier.

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