Japan's population declines to 123 million in 2025

May 29, 2026 / 12:52 PM

Sharjah24 - WAM: Japan's population, including foreign residents, declined by a record 3.10 million people, or 2.5%, between 2020 and 2025, reaching 123,049,524, according to the latest national census released on Friday.

The census has been conducted every five years since 1920, recording a population fall for the third consecutive survey period.

Growing concentration in Tokyo

The data showed that 30.1% of Japan's population was living in the Tokyo metropolitan area as of 1st October 2025, marking the first time the region's share of the national population has exceeded 30%.

Aging population drives decline

Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications attributed the population decrease to the country's aging society and an expanding natural decline, where the number of deaths continues to exceed the number of births, according to Kyodo News.

"It was confirmed again that the population decline is advancing even further," Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said at a press conference, pledging to pursue comprehensive measures aimed at addressing the country's demographic challenges.

Foreign resident numbers rise

The ministry estimated the number of foreign residents at approximately 3.21 million, significantly higher than the previous record of around 2.75 million reported in the finalised results of the 2020 census.

Global ranking

According to United Nations population estimates for 2025, Japan ranks as the world's 12th most populous country and accounts for about 1.5% of the global population.