The average Japanese male height is about 171.8 cm, or 5 feet 7.5 inches, for men ages 18 to 49 measured in 2018. That simple answer is useful, but it is not the whole story: the NCD-RisC estimate for 19-year-old men is 172.1 cm, while 17-year-old boys averaged 170.8 cm. Age, the group measured, and Japan’s striking postwar growth history all change what “average” means.
Average Japanese male height in centimeters and feet
For an adult benchmark, 171.8 cm (5 ft 7.5 in) is the most direct figure for Japanese men ages 18–49. Another broad summary gives 172 cm, roughly 5 ft 7.7 in. The small difference is less important than knowing which population a number describes.
At age 19, the NCD-RisC figure for Japanese men is 172.1 cm, or about 5 ft 7.7 in. In 2024, MEXT school health data put 17-year-old boys at 170.8 cm (about 5 ft 7.2 in). Because they cover different life stages, a teenager, a 19-year-old, and an adult sample spanning three decades of age should not be expected to have exactly the same average.
| Group | Average height | Approximate feet and inches |
|---|---|---|
| Men ages 18–49, measured in 2018 | 171.8 cm | 5 ft 7.5 in |
| Men age 19, 2019 | 172.1 cm | 5 ft 7.7 in |
| Boys age 17, 2024 | 170.8 cm | 5 ft 7.2 in |
| Women ages 18–49, measured in 2018 | 158.6 cm | 5 ft 2.5 in |
| Girls age 17, 2024 | 158.0 cm | 5 ft 2 in |
Average female height is close to 5 feet 2 inches
Among women ages 18–49 measured in 2018, the average was 158.6 cm, or 5 ft 2.5 in. For 19-year-old women in 2019, the corresponding NCD-RisC estimate was 158.5 cm. For 17-year-old girls, MEXT reported 158.0 cm in 2024, the same figure also given by Japan’s health ministry for adult women.
These values are close, but they answer slightly different questions. The adult result includes a wide age range; the school result is limited to students; and the 19-year-old result is one specific age. A useful comparison starts by matching age and sex before comparing countries or generations.
At 5’10, a man stands out in Japan
At 5 ft 10 in, or 177.8 cm, a man stands clearly above the 171.8 cm adult male average. The gap is about 6 cm. In everyday terms, 5’10 is tall in Japan, even though it is not an unusual height everywhere.
Guides commonly describe men from about 173 cm and women from about 161 cm as tall in Japan. Above 180 cm (5 ft 11 in), men are generally regarded as tall; for women, 165 cm (5 ft 5 in) is a commonly cited tall height. Those are social reference points, not medical categories or rules about any individual.
- A 165 cm minimum applies to flight attendants in the examples reported for occupational height requirements.
- A 180 cm minimum is reported for bodyguards.
- Neither requirement turns height into a measure of health, ability, or appearance.
Height by age explains part of the difference
In Japan, men in their twenties are tallest on average. Compared with men in their twenties, men in their forties and fifties average about 1–2 cm less, reflecting both age-related shrinking and differences between generations. By ages 60–69, men average roughly 2–3 cm less than those ages 20–29.
For young people, timing matters. Girls in Japan typically reach their final height at 15–16, while boys typically do so at 17–18. That is why the 2024 average for 17-year-old boys is informative, but it should not automatically be treated as the figure for all adult men.
MEXT measures student height every year for ages 6 through 17. Its long-running school series is especially useful for seeing how height changes across childhood and adolescence.
Postwar children grew far taller than earlier generations
The long view is dramatic. In 1900, Japanese boys age 17 averaged 157.9 cm; by 2024, they averaged 170.8 cm. That is an increase of 12.9 cm. Girls age 17 rose from 147.0 cm in 1900 to 158.0 cm in 2024, an increase of 11 cm.
In the figures, the disruption around World War II is visible. In 1948, 17-year-old boys averaged 160.6 cm and 51.7 kg, down 1.9 cm and 2.2 kg from 1939. From the early 1950s through the 1980s, Japanese children grew rapidly.
Improved nutrition is identified as a main driver of that postwar increase. Japan legally established its school lunch program in 1954, providing a standardized daily meal with milk, protein, and vegetables. Rising consumption of animal protein and dairy products is also cited as a principal reason children became taller.
Japan’s height increase has largely leveled off
Those rapid gains did not continue indefinitely. Across age groups, height growth plateaued by the late 1980s, and Japan’s average height has been largely stagnant since the 1990s. Rather than erasing the large postwar change, this means later cohorts have not continued the same steep upward path.
Nutrition remains part of the discussion. From roughly 2,200 kilocalories in the mid-1990s, average daily energy intake in Japan declined to about 1,900 kilocalories in 2023, a change cited as one factor in the stagnation. Lower birth weight since the 1990s is another possible influence on eventual height.
Among infants and young children, sleep shortages are also discussed as a possible factor. However, a causal link has not been established. For that reason, a careful reading separates factors under discussion from proven explanations.
China and South Korea now have higher averages
Among 19-year-olds in 2019, Chinese men averaged 175.7 cm and South Korean men 175.5 cm, compared with 172.1 cm for Japanese men. Chinese women averaged 163.5 cm and South Korean women 163.2 cm, compared with 158.5 cm for Japanese women.
| Country, age 19 in 2019 | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| Japan | 172.1 cm | 158.5 cm |
| China | 175.7 cm | 163.5 cm |
| South Korea | 175.5 cm | 163.2 cm |
Before the 1990s, Japan was taller on average than China and Korea, but it then fell behind both. In a wider comparison, Japanese men at about 172 cm are roughly 5–6 cm below the U.S. average of about 177 cm and about 12 cm below the Dutch average of 184 cm.
Two survey systems prevent common mistakes
Since 1948, Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has conducted National Health and Nutrition Surveys. These cover men and women across all ages. Since 1900, MEXT, the education ministry, has recorded students’ height and weight annually, except for the gap from 1940 to 1947, and covers students through age 17.
That difference explains why one source may describe adults while another describes students. More importantly, it corrects a common misconception: there is no single number that can represent every Japanese person. Instead, an average is a measurement for a defined group, not a height that people are expected to reach.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average height of a Japanese man?
Men ages 18–49 measured in 2018 averaged 171.8 cm, or 5 ft 7.5 in. For 19-year-old men in 2019, the figure was 172.1 cm.
What is the average height of a Japanese woman?
Women ages 18–49 measured in 2018 averaged 158.6 cm, or 5 ft 2.5 in. The 2019 average for 19-year-old women was 158.5 cm.
Is 5’10 tall in Japan?
Yes. At 177.8 cm, 5’10 is about 6 cm above the 171.8 cm adult male average and is generally considered tall in Japan.
Are Japanese people getting taller?
Japanese children grew quickly from the early 1950s through the 1980s, but height growth plateaued by the late 1980s and has largely stagnated since the 1990s.
Are Japanese or Chinese people taller?
In 2019, Chinese 19-year-olds averaged taller than Japanese 19-year-olds: 175.7 cm versus 172.1 cm for men, and 163.5 cm versus 158.5 cm for women.
