Abstract Background: The aim of the present study was to examine whether the increasing trend in cancer screening rates over time in Japan differs between individuals with and without serious psychological distress (SPD). Methods: We analyzed a national representative cross-sectional dataset from the 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016 Comprehensive Surveys of Living Conditions of Japan. We included people under the age of 69 years who met the national program criteria for each type of cancer screening (colorectal, gastric, and lung: n = 94,690, 94,957, and 94,751, respectively). SPD was defined as a score of ≥13 on the Kessler 6 scale. We calculated these cancer screening rates with 95% confidence intervals, stratified by presence or absence of SPD to determine whether cancer screening rates over time between 2007 and 2016 differ between individuals with and without SPD. Results: Cancer screening rates in the non-SPD group increased steadily over time from 2007 to 2016 (colorectal, gastric, and lung: 31.4%–46%, 37.2%–44.8%, and 32.1%–51.7%, respectively). They also increased similarly over time in individuals with SPD (colorectal, gastric, and lung: 24.5%–36.3%, 30.2%–37.8%, and 24.8%–39.9%, respectively); however, the rates remained significantly lower than those of people without SPD in all survey years. Conclusions: Between 2007 and 2016, cancer screening rates increased similarly over time in individuals with and without SPD. However, gaps in cancer screening in people with SPD remained unresolved.