Chloe Ramirez
Social media users have been sharing a post that compares the infant mortality rates in Japan and the US, falsely concluding that they differ due to each country's vaccination policies. While Japan does have a lower infant mortality rate than the US, there is no evidence that this is linked to infant vaccination programs. In fact, Japanese children are vaccinated at similar or higher rates than American children, and data shows that vaccines prevent, rather than cause, infant deaths.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Claim | Japan stopped mandatory childhood vaccinations in 1994, vastly improving the country's infant mortality rate |
| Reality | Vaccinations didn't end in 1994 and an ongoing fall in the infant mortality rate is associated with an increase in vaccination coverage |
| Infant Mortality Rate in 2021 | Japan: 1.7 deaths per 1,000 live births; US: 5.4 deaths per 1,000 live births |
| Vaccination Rates | Japanese children are vaccinated at a similar rate or higher than American children |
| SIDS | The rate of infant deaths due to SIDS fell by half between 1984 and 2004, which has been attributed to public health campaigns that discouraged putting infants to sleep face-down |
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What You'll Learn
Japan's infant mortality rate has been dropping since 1968
Japan's infant mortality rate has been on a downward trajectory since 1968, and it is indeed lower than that of the United States. However, this decline is not attributable to a decrease in vaccination rates. In fact, Japan has high infant vaccination rates, and childhood vaccines are not mandatory but are recommended for children under the age of two.
Social media posts have falsely claimed that Japan's infant mortality rate plummeted after 1994 due to the cessation of mandatory vaccinations for children under two years old. These assertions are inaccurate, as Japan did not discontinue vaccinations in 1994 but rather made them voluntary. The nation has some of the highest child immunisation rates globally, and the law change in 1994 increased vaccination coverage.
The decline in Japan's infant mortality rate is likely influenced by various factors, including comprehensive healthcare practices and universal access to prenatal care and community support. Additionally, public health campaigns addressing SIDS risks, such as discouraging infants from sleeping face-down and reducing maternal smoking, have played a significant role in reducing SIDS cases.
Furthermore, the country's high-quality child healthcare and vaccination coverage have contributed to the downward trend in infant mortality. For instance, the biggest single drop in Japan's infant mortality rate from 1995 to 1996 coincided with increased measles, diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis vaccination coverage.
While Japan's infant mortality rate has been decreasing, it is important to note that the rates of vaccine-preventable diseases and deaths from these diseases are higher in Japan, especially after impulsive vaccine halts. This underscores the importance of vaccinations in preventing infant deaths and improving overall child health.
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Vaccinations for children under 2 years old did not cease in 1994
Several social media posts claim that Japan's infant mortality rate plunged by 96% after 1994, when the nation ended mandatory vaccinations for children under two years old. However, this claim is false. Vaccinations for children under two years old did not cease in 1994; instead, they were made voluntary.
Japan has some of the highest child immunisation rates in the world. In 2021, the country recorded a 95% immunisation rate against measles and a 99% immunisation rate against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis. In fact, the nation's infant mortality rate has been steadily decreasing since 1968, and this decline has been associated with an increase in vaccination coverage.
According to the Japan Pediatric Society, several vaccines are recommended for children under the age of two years old, including those against polio, tuberculosis, measles/rubella and others. The Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare also recommends vaccinating infants under two years old.
The biggest single drop in Japan's infant mortality rate, from 4.3 in 1995 to 3.8 in 1996, coincided with an increase in measles vaccination coverage and a significant increase in diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis coverage, from 74% to 99%. This contradicts the claim that ending vaccinations for children under two led to a decrease in infant mortality.
While it is true that Japan's infant mortality rate is lower than that of the United States, there is no evidence to suggest that this is linked to infant vaccination programmes. Instead, the decline in Japan's infant mortality rate is attributed to various factors, including safe sleeping recommendations, improved access to healthcare and nutrition, and public health campaigns.
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Japan has high infant vaccination rates
It is true that Japan has a lower infant mortality rate than the US. However, it is not the country with the lowest infant mortality rate in the world, and the US is not the country with the highest. In 2020, Japan had an estimated infant mortality rate of 1.8 per 1,000 live births, the joint fourth-lowest rate in the world, behind Iceland, San Marino, and Estonia, and equal to Slovenia, Norway, and Singapore. The US infant mortality rate in the same year was 5.4 per 1,000 live births, the 11th highest among the 44 nations listed by the OECD.
Despite the differences in their vaccination policies, both countries have similar and very high childhood vaccination rates. In 2022, 99% of Japanese children had received at least one dose of the DTaP vaccine, and data from the World Health Organization (WHO) shows that between 2011 and 2022, 96-99% of babies received the three doses of the pneumococcal vaccine that are recommended between the ages of 2 and 4 months. Vaccination is voluntary in Japan, but the vast majority of infants are fully inoculated, with inoculation rates well above 90%. Japanese children are vaccinated from two months old, and the country has consistently high inoculation rates.
Although Japan banned the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine in 1993, children can still be inoculated against these diseases with separate injections. The Japanese government has also implemented various strategies to increase vaccination rates, such as the use of quadrivalent vaccines, which protect against four different flu viruses.
Public health experts say that the lower infant mortality rate in Japan compared to the US is not because of vaccines, which actually reduce death in vaccine-preventable diseases. There is also no evidence to suggest that vaccinations of any kind are linked to SIDS. In fact, several studies have found that unvaccinated infants are at a higher risk of SIDS and SUDI.
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The US has higher infant mortality rates than Japan
The US has a higher infant mortality rate than Japan, with approximately 5.4 deaths per 1,000 live births, according to 2021 data from the United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality estimation. In contrast, Japan's infant mortality rate was around 1.7 deaths per 1,000 live births in the same year. This rate is often used as an indicator of the level of health in a country.
Several factors have been attributed to the higher infant mortality rate in the US. One notable factor is birth weight. Comparisons with countries like Norway and Japan, which have lower infant mortality rates, suggest that the US's relatively low ranking is due to a higher proportion of low birth weight babies. Maternal age is also associated with infant mortality, with teenage mothers tending to have lower-birth-weight babies, increasing the risk of perinatal death.
It is important to note that, contrary to claims on social media, there is no evidence linking the higher infant mortality rate in the US to its vaccination policies. In fact, Japanese children are vaccinated at similar or sometimes higher rates than American children. Experts agree that vaccines prevent, rather than cause, infant deaths. The decline in Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) in Japan, for example, has been attributed to public health campaigns and not to changes in vaccination policies.
While Japan's infant mortality rate is lower than that of the US, it is not the lowest in the world. As of 2020, Japan had the joint fourth-lowest infant mortality rate, along with Norway and Singapore. The leading causes of infant death in the US, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's 2021 report, include birth defects, preterm birth, low birth weight, maternal pregnancy complications, SIDS, and injuries such as suffocation.
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There is no correlation between vaccination rates and infant mortality
It is important to note that Japan does not have the lowest infant mortality rate in the world, and the United States does not have the highest. In 2020, Japan had an estimated infant mortality rate of 1.8 per 1,000 live births, the joint fourth-lowest rate in the world. In the same year, the US infant mortality rate was estimated at 5.4 per 1,000 live births, placing it in the top 50 lowest rates globally.
While Japan does have a lower infant mortality rate than the US, there is no evidence linking this to infant vaccination programs in either country. In fact, Japanese children are vaccinated at similar or sometimes higher rates than American children. For example, in 2021, 95.4% of Japanese children around the age of one were vaccinated for measles, compared to a 95% measles immunization rate in 2021 for the whole of Japan, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). In the same year, 98.8% of one-year-olds in Japan were vaccinated for diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis, while 99% received at least one dose of the DTaP vaccine.
The decline in infant mortality in Japan is attributed to various factors, including comprehensive healthcare policies and access to prenatal care and community support, and high-quality child healthcare. Additionally, public health campaigns have played a significant role. A campaign that began in 1996 promoted safe sleeping recommendations, such as discouraging parents from putting infants to sleep face-down, which has helped reduce the rate of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
Furthermore, vaccines have been shown to prevent infant deaths rather than cause them. There is significant evidence that vaccinations against various diseases have saved millions of young lives worldwide. For instance, studies in other countries have found that unvaccinated infants are at a higher risk of SIDS and Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy (SUDI) compared to vaccinated infants.
In summary, there is no correlation between vaccination rates and infant mortality. The lower infant mortality rate in Japan compared to the US is due to a combination of factors, including healthcare policies, public health campaigns, and access to quality prenatal and child healthcare. Vaccinations have been proven to reduce infant deaths and are not linked to an increased risk of SIDS or other causes of infant mortality.
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Frequently asked questions
No, this is false. Vaccinations did not end in 1994, and the infant mortality rate has decreased gradually over time, coinciding with an increase in vaccination coverage.
Japan's infant mortality rate was around 1.7 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2021, according to the United Nations.
No, Japan does not have the lowest infant mortality rate globally. In 2020, it was estimated to have the joint fourth-lowest rate, along with Singapore, Norway, and Slovenia.
Japan has high infant vaccination rates, high-quality child healthcare, and comprehensive public health campaigns. The country also has universal access to prenatal care and community support.
No, there is no evidence to support this claim. On the contrary, vaccines prevent deaths by reducing the risk of vaccine-preventable diseases. Studies have shown that unvaccinated infants are at a higher risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and other causes of infant mortality.
