POWs of the Japanese:
Death Rates by Nationalities (all figures approx.)

American
Total POWs: 25,600
POW Deaths: 10,650
Percentage Dead: 41.6%

British, Australian, British Indian
Total POWs: 130,000
POW Deaths: 8,100
Percentage Dead: 6.2%

Dutch
Total POWs: 37,000
POW Deaths: 8,500
Percentage Dead: 23%

Forced Laborers from The Netherland East Indies (Indonesia)
Laborers: 300,000
Laborer Deaths: 230,000
Percentage Dead: 76.6%

American POWs HELD IN WWII

Military Held

There were 130,201 US Military captured and interned in WWII. As of January 1, 2000, 38,114 were still alive (29.2%). Of the total count of US POWs in WWII, 36,260 were captured and interned by the Japanese. On January 1, 2000, 5,745 were still alive (15.8%). Here is the grim news--the comparison of those military held by Germany and Japan.

Civilians Held

There were 18,745 US Civilians captured and interned in WWII. As of January 1, 2000, 3,018 were still alive (16.1%). Of the total civilian POWs in WWII, 13,996 were captured and interned by the Japanese. On January 1, 1999, only 1,497 were still alive (10.7%). Again, here are the grim statistics--the comparison of US civilians interned by Germany versus those held by Japan.

Source: AXPOW Association, March 15, 2000

"The Veterans Administration reports that 46,417 ex-prisoners-of-war were alive as of January 1, 2001. The numbers of living Ex-POWs is dwindling rapidly. The number living as of January 1, 1998, was 55,999. Clearly our numbers are decreasing at well over 3000 per year and this rate is accelerating." -- Wally Nelson, EX-POW Bulletin, June 2001

Behind Bamboo: American POWs in the Pacific

Estimated number captured, died and returned to U.S. control.

Captured by Country
Philippines: 22,000
Wake Island :1,555
Java (Indonesia): 890
Guam: 400
Japan & elsewhere :300
Celebes (Indonesia): 255
China: 200
Total :25,600

Killed or Died in Captivity by Country
Philippines: 5,135
On prison ships: 3,840
Japan: 1,200
Manchuria (China): 175
Burma: 130
Wake Island: 100
Korea: 70
Total :10,650

POWs Liberated by Country
Japan: 11,400
Philippines: 1,500
Manchuria (China): 1,200
Burma-Thailand: 480
Celebes (Indonesia): 200
Korea: 150
China: 20
Total: 14,950

Source: Surrender and Survival: The Experience of American POWs in the Pacific by E. Bartlett Kerr, 1985

From Japanese Statistics

Source: Horyo Saishu Ronkoku Fuzoku-sho B, Feb. 19, 1948

Comparative Statistic for Japanese prisoners of war held in the Soviet Union: Out of 575,000 internees, 55,000 died in captivity, a death rate of 9.6%.