Decline in mortality in Japan, USA, and the Federal Republic of Germany — The contribution of the specific causes of death

In Japan, total mortality of men and women in the age groups of 45–54, 55–64, and 65–74 years decreased, within the last three decades, by 50–60% to values which are now among the lowest in the world. During the same period, death rates of men decreased by approx. 20% in the USA and approx. 10% in the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG). As to women, decreases in both countries were over 30%. The decrease between 1968 and 1978 (period of validity of the 8th Revision of the ICD) in the three countries was mostly due to the diseases of the circulatory system: In Japan, mostly to cerebrovascular diseases, in the USA, to ischaemic heart diseases, and in the FRG, to other forms of heart diseases. Second to the diseases of the circulatory system, stomach cancer and infective and parasitic diseases contributed most to the total decrease in Japan, accidents and diseases of the respiratory system in the USA, and diseases of the respiratory and digestive systems in the FRG. The highest percentage increases of death rates for the specific causes were recorded for lung cancer in all three countries and for other forms of heart diseases in the USA.