Gas reserves in Japan
Japan: Gas reserves was 20.90 billion cubic meters in 2021. ▼ Falling
Gas reserves in Japan, 1980–2021
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (2022) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in cubic meters.
Analysis
Japan recorded 20.90 billion cubic meters for gas reserves in 2021.
The figure is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, gas reserves in Japan peaked at 40.04 billion cubic meters in 2000 and was at its lowest, 14.16 billion cubic meters, in 1981.
That places Japan 74th out of 215 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 42 years of available data.
Gas reserves in Japan, year by year
| Year | cubic meters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 16.99 billion cubic meters | — |
| 1981 | 14.16 billion cubic meters | -16.7% |
| 1982 | 22.65 billion cubic meters | +60.0% |
| 1983 | 20.39 billion cubic meters | -10.0% |
| 1984 | 25.49 billion cubic meters | +25.0% |
| 1985 | 20.39 billion cubic meters | -20.0% |
| 1986 | 31.15 billion cubic meters | +52.8% |
| 1987 | 30.87 billion cubic meters | -0.9% |
| 1988 | 29.17 billion cubic meters | -5.5% |
| 1989 | 39.93 billion cubic meters | +36.9% |
| 1990 | 31.60 billion cubic meters | -20.9% |
| 1991 | 31.83 billion cubic meters | +0.7% |
| 1992 | 27.41 billion cubic meters | -13.9% |
| 1993 | 27.41 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 29.62 billion cubic meters | +8.1% |
| 1995 | 27.33 billion cubic meters | -7.7% |
| 1996 | 27.13 billion cubic meters | -0.7% |
| 1997 | 29.79 billion cubic meters | +9.8% |
| 1998 | 39.25 billion cubic meters | +31.7% |
| 1999 | 39.08 billion cubic meters | -0.4% |
| 2000 | 40.04 billion cubic meters | +2.5% |
| 2001 | 40.04 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 40.04 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 39.64 billion cubic meters | -1.0% |
| 2004 | 39.64 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 39.64 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 39.64 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 39.64 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 20.90 billion cubic meters | -47.3% |
| 2009 | 20.90 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 20.90 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 20.90 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 20.90 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 20.90 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 20.90 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 20.90 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 20.90 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 20.90 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 20.90 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 20.90 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 20.90 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 20.90 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Gas reserves in Japan changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | +60.0% | 14.16 billion cubic meters | 22.65 billion cubic meters |
| 1986 | +52.8% | 20.39 billion cubic meters | 31.15 billion cubic meters |
| 2008 | -47.3% | 39.64 billion cubic meters | 20.90 billion cubic meters |
| 1989 | +36.9% | 29.17 billion cubic meters | 39.93 billion cubic meters |
| 1998 | +31.7% | 29.79 billion cubic meters | 39.25 billion cubic meters |
| 1984 | +25.0% | 20.39 billion cubic meters | 25.49 billion cubic meters |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 25.12 billion cubic meters | 14.16 billion cubic meters | 39.93 billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 1990s | 31.04 billion cubic meters | 27.13 billion cubic meters | 39.25 billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2000s | 36.01 billion cubic meters | 20.90 billion cubic meters | 40.04 billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2010s | 20.90 billion cubic meters | 20.90 billion cubic meters | 20.90 billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2020s | 20.90 billion cubic meters | 20.90 billion cubic meters | 20.90 billion cubic meters | 2 |
Countries ranked near Japan
More energy & mining data for Japan
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, annual growth rate -0.7535 % change on previous year (2025)
- Coal consumption, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal consumption, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal production, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Fuel imports 19.6% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gas reserves in Japan?
- Gas reserves in Japan was 20.90 billion cubic meters in 2021, according to U.S. Energy Information Administration (2022) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest gas reserves recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 40.04 billion cubic meters in 2000.
- What is the lowest gas reserves recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.16 billion cubic meters in 1981.
- How does Japan rank for gas reserves?
- Japan ranks 74th out of 215 countries with data for 2021.
- Is gas reserves rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from U.S. Energy Information Administration (2022) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Gas reserves. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 42 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Proved reserves, measured in cubic meters, are generally those quantities that can be recovered in the future from known reservoirs under existing economic and operating conditions, according to geological and engineering information.