Key facts
- Japan's national population fell below 120 million for the first time in 42 years.
- The number of Japanese nationals decreased by 917,000 from the previous year to 119,736,483.
- This marks the largest annual decline since comparable data became available in 1968.
- The number of foreign residents in Japan reached a record high of 4,031,159.
- Japan recorded a record low of approximately 670,000 births against 1.59 million deaths.
Japan's population of Japanese nationals has fallen below 120 million for the first time in 42 years, reaching 119,736,483 as of January 1. This marks the largest annual decline since comparable data became available in 1968, with a drop of 917,000 people from the previous year. The decline underscores the challenges posed by the nation's low birth rate, which resulted in a record low of approximately 670,000 births compared to 1.59 million deaths.
In contrast, the number of foreign residents in Japan increased by 354,000 to a record 4,031,159, marking the fourth consecutive year of growth. This rise is attributed to Japan's gradual opening to foreign workers to address labor shortages. The working-age population among foreign residents now constitutes 86.17 percent.
Tokyo was the only prefecture to report an increase in its Japanese national population, up 0.09 percent. Overall, Japan's total population, including foreign residents, stood at 123,767,642, a decrease of approximately 563,000 from the prior year. Population growth was only observed in Tokyo, Chiba, and Osaka prefectures.