ArticleBMJ open2023
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mortality trends in Japan: a reversal in 2021? A descriptive analysis of national mortality data, 1995-2021.
Article in BMJ open, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers.
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Who cites it
13 citing papers in PubMed, 22 citations in OpenAlex.
- Changes in Home-visit Care Utilization and Outcomes During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic: Comparison Between Patients With and Without Cancer.Journal of epidemiology · 2026Observational
- Reassessing Early COVID-19 Strategies in East Asia: Insights From Japan and Korea.Journal of preventive medicine and public health = Yebang Uihakhoe chi · 2026Review
- SARS-CoV-2 infection in lung transplant recipients: a single-center retrospective study in Japan.Surgery today · 2026Article
- Changes in life expectancy and life span equality during the COVID-19 epidemic in 2020-22 in Japan.PloS one · 2026Article
- Effect of Introducing a Mini-Ergometer to the Ward Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic-Imposed Restrictions on Rehabilitation Centers on Physical Function: Cardiac Rehabilitation of Patients with Heart Failure.Journal of clinical medicine · 2025Article
- Sociodemographic patterns of COVID-19 mortality: the 2020 Japanese census-linked mortality database.The Lancet regional health. Western Pacific · 2025Article
- Unraveling Rising Mortality: Statistical Insights from Japan and International Comparisons.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Review
- Excess Deaths in Korea During the COVID-19 Pandemic: 2020-2022.Journal of preventive medicine and public health = Yebang Uihakhoe chi · 2024Article
- Different trends in suicide rates among foreign residents in Japan and Japanese citizens during the COVID-19 pandemic.International journal for equity in health · 2024Article
- Change in the Proportion of Death at Home during the COVID-19 Pandemic and Its Associated Factors in the Municipality Level: A Nationwide Study in Japan.JMA journal · 2024Article
- Article
- All-cause mortality and Japan's early countermeasures.Health science reports · 2024Article
- Impacts of Complete Unemployment Rates Disaggregated by Reason and Duration on Suicide Mortality from 2009-2022 in Japan.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveThe COVID-19 pandemic led to an increase in mortality in most countries in 2020, deviating from prior decreasing trends. In Japan, however, mortality was suggested to decrease in 2020. This study investigated long-term mortality trends and cause-specific contributions, focusing on the period of the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan.
designWe analysed Japanese age-standardised mortality rates (ASMRs) from 1995 to 2021 using vital statistics.
main outcome measuresThe cause-specific annual ASMR changes were calculated in comparison with the previous year over the abovementioned period.
resultsThere was a general downward trend in overall ASMR for both sexes until 2020 followed by a small increase in 2021. In men, the all-cause ASMR (per 100 000 persons) decreased from 1352.3 to 1328.8 in 2020 (-1.74% from 2019), and increased to 1356.3 in 2021 in men (+2.07% from 2020). In women, the all-cause ASMR decreased from 746.0 to 722.1 in 2020 (-3.20% from 2019), and increased to 737.9 (+2.19% from 2020) in 2021. ASMRs from malignant neoplasms, pneumonia, accidents and suicide (men only) continued to decrease during the COVID-19 pandemic while the trend of cardiovascular mortality increased in 2021. Analysis of ASMR changes revealed that COVID-19, senility, cardiovascular disease and 'other causes not classified as major causes' contributed to the all-cause mortality increase in 2021.
conclusionsIn Japan, the decreasing trend in overall mortality continued in 2020 despite the COVID-19 pandemic. However, approximately 2% mortality increase was observed in 2021, which was attributable to COVID-19, senility, cardiovascular disease and 'other causes'. The year 2021 was a turning point of mortality trends in Japan, although continued monitoring is warranted.
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