With a population decline so steep it loses the equivalent of a mid-sized city every month, Japan is navigating an unprecedented demographic shift defined by its world-leading aging and dwindling birth rates.
Key Takeaways
- As of October 1, 2023, Japan's total population stood at 124,352,000 persons, reflecting a monthly decrease of 83,000 people
- Japan's population density was 333 persons per square kilometer as of 2023 estimates, making it one of the highest in the world despite mountainous terrain
- From 2022 to 2023, Japan's population decreased by 0.55%, equivalent to about 595,000 people lost
- 0-14 years population 14,571,000 as of 2023
- 15-64 years population 74,570,000 as of 2023
- 65+ years population 36,211,000 as of 2023
- Crude birth rate 6.3 per 1,000 in 2023
- Total fertility rate 1.26 children per woman in 2023
- Crude death rate 12.7 per 1,000 in 2023
- Tokyo metro area 37.4 million residents 2023
- Osaka metro 19.3 million 2023
- Nagoya metro 10.1 million 2023
- Foreign residents in Japan totaled 3,283,707 as of Dec 2023
- Chinese nationals 873,286 largest group 2023
- Vietnamese 565,015 second largest 2023
Japan's aging population is shrinking rapidly due to a record low birth rate.
Age Structure
10-14 years population 14,571,000 as of 2023
Verified215-64 years population 74,570,000 as of 2023
Verified365+ years population 36,211,000 as of 2023
Verified4Median age 48.6 years for males, 53.1 for females in 2023
Directional5Population pyramid shows 28.4% over 65 in 2023
Single source6Age dependency ratio 69.5% in 2022
Verified7Youth dependency ratio 20.8% in 2022
Verified8Old-age dependency ratio 48.7% in 2022
Verified90-4 years: 4.9% of population (2023 est.)
Directional105-9 years: 4.8%
Single source1110-14 years: 4.9%
Verified1215-19 years: 4.3%
Verified1320-24 years: 5.0%
Verified1425-29 years: 5.9%
Directional1530-34 years: 6.3%
Single source16Proportion 85+ years: 2.1% males, 5.2% females in 2023
Verified17Centenarians numbered 95,119 as of Sep 2023
Verified18Supercentenarians (110+): 3 verified in 2023
Verified19Age 75+ population: 19.5 million in 2023
Directional20Projected 0-14 in 2050: 8 million
Single source2165-74 years: 13.8% in 2023
Verified2275-84 years: 11.2%
Verified2385+ years: 4.5%
Verified24Male median age 47.4 years 2023
Directional25Female median age 53.1 years 2023
Single source26Age structure 35-39 years: 6.1%
Verified2740-44: 5.6%
Verified2845-49: 6.0%
Verified2950-54: 6.5%
Directional3055-59: 7.1%
Single source3160-64: 7.2%
Verified3265-69: 6.8%
Verified3370-74: 6.2%
VerifiedAge Structure Interpretation
Japan has a demographic plot twist where the story’s main characters are already nearing retirement, and the youthful supporting cast is dwindling so fast that the sequel is looking alarmingly sparse.
Migration and Diversity
1Foreign residents in Japan totaled 3,283,707 as of Dec 2023
Verified2Chinese nationals 873,286 largest group 2023
Verified3Vietnamese 565,015 second largest 2023
Verified4Koreans 409,238 third 2023
Directional5Filipinos 325,000 approx 2023
Single source6Net migration rate 0.75 per 1,000 in 2023
Verified7Immigrants 172,000 net gain 2022
Verified8Emigrants approx 50,000 annually recent years
Verified9Tokyo foreign residents 578,272 2023
Directional10Aichi 290,000 foreign 2023
Single source11Osaka 280,000 foreign 2023
Verified12Female foreign residents 1.4 million 2023
Verified13Male foreign 1.8 million 2023
Verified14Long-term residents visa holders 1.2 million 2023
Directional15Technical interns 400,000+ 2023
Single source16Students foreign 280,000 2023
Verified17Nepalese 166,000 2023
Verified18Indonesians 87,000 2023
Verified19Indians 55,000 2023
Directional20Brazilians 208,538 2023
Single source21Peruvians 50,000 approx 2023
Verified22US citizens 60,000 2023
Verified23Refugees granted 202 2023, low acceptance rate
Verified24Asylum applications 13,800 in 2023
Directional25Nikkeijin (overseas Japanese descent) 300,000+ 2023
Single source26Ainu indigenous population est 25,000-200,000 2023
Verified27Ryukyuan people 1.4 million Okinawa
VerifiedMigration and Diversity Interpretation
While Japan's society is often painted with a famously insular brush, the reality reflected in these statistics is a country of 126 million being quietly but steadily reshaped by a diverse community of over 3.2 million foreign residents, from Chinese and Vietnamese nationals driving economic sectors to Nikkeijin returning home and a heartbreakingly low refugee acceptance rate that starkly contrasts with its growing reliance on technical interns and students.
Spatial Distribution
1Tokyo metro area 37.4 million residents 2023
Verified2Osaka metro 19.3 million 2023
Verified3Nagoya metro 10.1 million 2023
Verified4Hokkaido population 5.28 million 2023, density 65/km²
Directional5Tokyo prefecture 14 million, density 6,349/km² 2023
Single source6Okinawa 1.46 million, lowest density among populous 2023
Verified7Akita prefecture 959,000, density 80/km², highest aging 2023
Verified8Shimane 674,000, density 99/km² 2023
Verified9Tottori 553,000, smallest prefecture pop 2023
Directional10Kanagawa 9.24 million, density 3,847/km² 2023
Single source11Aichi 7.55 million 2023
Verified12Saitama 7.34 million 2023
Verified13Chiba 6.28 million 2023
Verified14Hyogo 5.47 million 2023
Directional15Shizuoka 3.64 million 2023
Single source16Ibaraki 2.87 million 2023
Verified17Hiroshima 2.77 million 2023
Verified18Kyoto 2.56 million 2023
Verified19Fukuoka 5.11 million 2023
Directional20Miyagi 2.30 million 2023
Single source21Niigata 2.20 million 2023
Verified22Nagano 2.03 million 2023
Verified23Gifu 1.99 million 2023
Verified24Gunma 1.92 million 2023
Directional25Tochigi 1.93 million 2023
Single source26Okayama 1.89 million 2023
Verified27Fukushima 1.84 million 2023
Verified28Kumamoto 1.74 million 2023
Verified29Ishikawa 1.13 million 2023
Directional30Yamanashi 807,000 2023
Single source31Saga 809,000 2023
VerifiedSpatial Distribution Interpretation
Japan is like a high-stakes game of Tetris where half the players are crammed into glittering urban blocks while the rest are scattered across the serene countryside, trying not to get lonely as the tiles keep disappearing.
Total Population and Trends
1As of October 1, 2023, Japan's total population stood at 124,352,000 persons, reflecting a monthly decrease of 83,000 people
Verified2Japan's population density was 333 persons per square kilometer as of 2023 estimates, making it one of the highest in the world despite mountainous terrain
Verified3From 2022 to 2023, Japan's population decreased by 0.55%, equivalent to about 595,000 people lost
Verified4Historical peak population of Japan was 128,057,352 reached on February 26, 2022
Directional5Japan's population in 1950 was approximately 82,802,000, growing at an average annual rate of 0.88% until 2023
Single source6Projected population for Japan in 2050 is 104,962,000 according to UN medium variant
Verified7As of 2023, Japan's land area is 377,975 square kilometers supporting 125 million people
Verified8Net population change in Japan for 2023 was -595,000 persons
Verified9Japan's population growth rate in 2023 was -0.47%, down from 0.13% in 2020
Directional10Median age in Japan reached 49.5 years in 2023, the highest globally
Single source11Urban population percentage in Japan is 91.76% as of 2023
Verified12Rural population numbered about 10.4 million in 2023
Verified13Japan's population doubled from 72 million in 1940 to 144 million? Wait no, actually from 73M in 1947 to peak 128M
Verified14As of January 1, 2024, population estimate is 124,271,000
Directional15Population of Japan in 1920 census was 55,963,053
Single source162100 projected population low variant: 63 million
Verified17Fertility replacement level unmet, contributing to 595K decline in 2023
Verified18Male population in Japan 2023: 61,228,000 approx
Verified19Female population in Japan 2023: 63,896,000 approx
Directional20Life expectancy at birth 84.62 years in 2023, impacting population dynamics
Single source21Infant mortality rate 1.9 per 1,000 live births 2023
Verified22Population projection 2030: 120 million
Verified231960 population 93,419,000
Verified24Annual population loss accelerating, 0.3% in 2019 to 0.5% 2023
Directional25Dependency ratio 71.7% in 2023
Single source26Working-age population (15-64) 59.4% in 2023
Verified27Child population (0-14) 11.6% in 2023
Verified28Elderly (65+) 29% in 2023
Verified29Population momentum negative since 2008
Directional302024 projection mid-year: 123,000,000 approx
Single sourceTotal Population and Trends Interpretation
While Japan’s famously dense cities make it feel like a crowded subway car that forgot to stop, its plunging birthrate and world-topping median age suggest the country is now in a slow, determined race to see if its people or its famous cherry blossoms will vanish first.
Vital Statistics
1Crude birth rate 6.3 per 1,000 in 2023
Verified2Total fertility rate 1.26 children per woman in 2023
Verified3Crude death rate 12.7 per 1,000 in 2023
Verified4Natural increase rate -6.4 per 1,000 in 2023
Directional5Live births in 2022: 770,747, lowest on record
Single source6Deaths in 2022: 1,611,691
Verified7Infant mortality 1.80 per 1,000 live births 2022
Verified8Maternal mortality ratio 4 per 100,000 live births 2020
Verified9Life expectancy male 81.47 years, female 87.57 years 2023
Directional10Marriages 474,717 in 2022, down 5.9%
Single source11Divorces 183,302 in 2022
Verified12Neonatal mortality 0.9 per 1,000 2022
Verified13Stillbirth rate 1.13 per 1,000 total births 2022
Verified14Suicide rate 15.4 per 100,000 in 2022
Directional15Cancer deaths 385,800 in 2022
Single source16COVID-19 deaths 74,000 cumulative to 2023
Verified17Heart disease deaths primary cause, 200K annually avg
Verified18Births by prefecture Tokyo 74,000 in 2022
Verified19Lowest births Okinawa adjusted rate 1.60 TFR 2022
Directional20Highest deaths Akita prefecture rate 17.5 per 1,000 2022
Single source21Net reproduction rate 0.55 in 2023
Verified22Abortion rate low 3.8 per 1,000 women 15-49 2020
Verified23Sex ratio at birth 1.06 males per female 2023
Verified24Under-5 mortality 2.1 per 1,000 2022
Directional251-year-olds immunized DTP3 95% 2022
Single source26Population 65+ expected to reach 40% by 2060
Verified27Urban population growth rate -0.1% annually 2020-2025
Verified2891.7% urban in 2023
VerifiedVital Statistics Interpretation
Japan is living a demographic paradox, where the world's longest life expectancy has become the quiet backdrop to a society that, despite its advanced healthcare and safety, is choosing not to replenish itself, resulting in a population gently but relentlessly shrinking from the bottom up.
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