Japan's Population Decline Triples in Speed... 3.1 Million Lost in Five Years

Japan Drops to 12th in Global Population Ranking
Even Capital Region Sees Decline as Tokyo's Population Concentration Intensifies

The decline in Japan's population due to low birth rates and an aging society is becoming increasingly severe. Over the past five years, Japan's population has decreased by approximately 3.1 million people.

According to Yonhap News, citing the "2025 National Census Preliminary Population Count" released by Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications on May 29, the total population of Japan, including foreigners, was recorded at 123,049,524 as of October 1 of last year.

The National Census of Japan is a basic national statistical survey conducted by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications every five years. It covers all households, including foreigners, and the results are used as foundational data for key policies such as the allocation of local allocation tax grants and the delineation of electoral districts.

A view of Shibuya Street in Tokyo, Japan. The photo is not directly related to the content of the article. Pixabay

Japan's population peaked at 128.05 million in 2010 and has been clearly declining since then. The latest census results show a decrease of 3,096,575 people (2.5%) compared to the 2020 survey. Considering the decrease rate of 0.7% during the previous survey period from 2015 to 2020, the pace of population decline has more than tripled in five years. Local media, citing United Nations estimates, also reported that Japan's global population ranking has dropped by one spot from 11th to 12th place.

Regional disparities, especially population concentration in the capital, are also intensifying. Tokyo's population stood at approximately 14,246,000, accounting for 11.6% of the total. Among the nation's 47 prefectures, only Tokyo and Okinawa reported population increases of 1.4% and 0.1%, respectively, while the remaining 45 regions all saw declines. Even areas in the capital region such as Saitama, Chiba, and Kanagawa, which had previously experienced population growth, have now shifted to a downward trend.

By gender, there were 59,778,826 men and 63,270,698 women. The sex ratio, meaning the number of men per 100 women, was 94.5.

The total number of households reached a record high of 57.12 million, which is attributed to the increase in single-person households. On the other hand, the average household size was 2.15 people, the lowest since the survey began in 1970. Tokyo had the smallest average household size nationwide, at 1.88 people per household.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara stated at a press conference on this day, "We have once again confirmed that the speed of population decline is accelerating," adding, "It is important to increase the income of younger generations to reduce anxiety about the future."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.