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Countries / Japan

Population state · Sustained decline

Japan

Asia · Eastern Asia · JPN · JP

Japan's population reached its series maximum in 2009. The current run began in 2011.

Population state
Sustained decline
current run since 2011 · projected 2024
Fertility
1.22
22 of 237 with a TFR, lowest first
World population rank
12
of 237
Regional population rank
6
of 51 in Asia
Population
123.75m
Annual change
−636,276
3rd-largest annual loss in the record
Natural change
−789,635
Migrant share
2.8%
Peak population · 2009 Deaths exceed births · since 2005 Working-age peak · 1995 Support ratio · 1.97 people 15–64 per person 65+
ANNUAL COMPONENTS · 2024 PROJECTED

What drives population change?

Births and deaths set natural change. Net migration can reinforce, reduce, or reverse that direction.

Migration contribution Reduces decline

Positive net migration slows natural decline without reversing it.

Japan, 2024 projected: natural change −789,635 people, net migration +153,357, WPP adjustment +2, total population change −636,276. Positive net migration slows natural decline without reversing it.

Exact reconciliation: WPP includes a +2-person statistical adjustment. Figures are rounded to whole people.

SOURCE · UN WPP 2024 CHECKS PASSED · DETAILS⌄
Releasewpp2024
RevisionPOP/DB/WPP/Rev.2024/GEN/F01/Rev.1
Vintage2024 Revision, Online Edition
Retrieved2026-06-25T11:25:03+00:00
LicenceCC BY 3.0 IGO
Formulathousands-to-people-v1 · migration-contribution-v1
Transformsite/src/lib/migration-contribution.ts
Raw file SHA-25698e34d9b65b53858cd08a57a566e45050b08093ad85ba5714fe6fbd78055ae6d
Measurement universeOne canonical country or area; annual natural change, net migration, WPP adjustment, and total population change use the same source row.
Reference time2024 projected annual components; estimates run through 2023.
UnitPeople per year.
Evidence status2024 WPP medium-variant projection.
SUSTAINED DECLINE · STATE-SPECIFIC EVIDENCE

Decline over time

14 source years · since 2011 Tied rank 12 of 29 by streak duration Duration, not severity
CARD 01 · ANNUAL TOTAL POPULATION CHANGE

Annual change through the streak

Each bar is one year’s total population change. View the same evidence as a share of that year’s population or as a count of people.

Births, deaths, net migration, and WPP adjustments are included.
−0.51%
2011–2024 · 14 source years Loss rate is steeper than at the start
Annual change bar chart
Observed through 2023 2024 projected

One discrete bar for each source year from 2011 through 2024. The chart includes total population change from births, deaths, net migration, and WPP adjustments; observed and projected rows are distinguished.

Annual total population change for Japan, 2011 to 2024
YearEvidencePercent of populationPeople
2011observed−0.11%−144.6k
2012observed−0.15%−191.7k
2013observed−0.17%−217.6k
2014observed−0.20%−256.5k
2015observed−0.13%−165.0k
2016observed−0.05%−66.9k
2017observed−0.10%−123.6k
2018observed−0.14%−178.9k
2019observed−0.20%−249.1k
2020observed−0.43%−540.6k
2021observed−0.56%−709.8k
2022observed−0.52%−653.7k
2023observed−0.48%−599.5k
2024projected−0.51%−636.3k
First year−0.11%
Least negative−0.05% · 2016
Most negative−0.56% · 2021
2024−0.51%
CARD 02 · LITERAL SERIES MAXIMUM

Population below peak

Peak population minus the 2024 population, shown in people and as a share of the peak.

3.5%
4.44m people below peak
Population from peak line chart
Observed through 2023 2024 projected Focused scale · peak = 100

Annual total population from the literal series maximum in 2009 through 2024, indexed so the peak equals 100. The focused scale shows the stock path while exact annual populations remain in the table.

Annual total population from the literal peak through 2024
YearEvidencePopulation
2009observed128,192,470
2010observed128,185,275
2011observed128,096,432
2012observed127,928,285
2013observed127,723,645
2014observed127,486,605
2015observed127,275,872
2016observed127,159,951
2017observed127,064,690
2018observed126,913,432
2019observed126,699,424
2020observed126,304,543
2021observed125,679,338
2022observed124,997,578
2023observed124,370,947
2024projected123,753,041
Peak population · 2009
128.19m
2024 population
123.75m

From 128,192,470 people in 2009 to 123,753,041 in 2024. The endpoint is projected; the peak year is the literal maximum in the WPP series.

SOURCE · UN WPP 2024 CHECKS PASSED · DETAILS⌄
Releasewpp2024
RevisionPOP/DB/WPP/Rev.2024/GEN/F01/Rev.1
Vintage2024 Revision, Online Edition
Retrieved2026-06-25T11:25:03+00:00
LicenceCC BY 3.0 IGO
Formulaannual-total-change-rate-v1 · population-below-peak-v1 · population-from-peak-v1 · sustained-decline-streak-rank-v1
Transformsite/src/lib/sustained-decline-profile.ts
Raw file SHA-25698e34d9b65b53858cd08a57a566e45050b08093ad85ba5714fe6fbd78055ae6d
Measurement universeDe facto population: all residents in the country or area, regardless of legal status or citizenship; streak rank compares the 29 canonical sustained-decline members only.
Reference timeAnnual source rows from 2011 through 2024; estimates through 2023, then medium-variant projection.
UnitWhole people and annual total change as a percentage of same-year population; the population-path chart indexes the literal peak to 100 while retaining exact annual counts.
Evidence statusprojected 2024 endpoint; observed/projected status is retained for every chart row.
AGE STRUCTURE · 2023
PROJECTED PATH · WPP 2024 MEDIUM VARIANT
YearPopulationAnnual changeFertility
2024123.75m−636,2761.22
2050105.12m−671,1031.35
208084.73m−470,8271.44
210076.85m−384,9981.47

Values after 2023 are medium-variant projections, not forecasts.

AGE BALANCE · 1950–2100

Youth and older population

Annual share of the population aged under 18 and aged 65+. The crossing shows when the older group first becomes larger in the annual source series.

First annual crossover
2001 · observed
Rule
65+ strictly exceeds under 18

Japan annual age balance from 1950 to 2100. Under-18 population moves from 41.5% in 1950 to 14.4% in 2023 and 14.0% in the 2100 projection. Population aged 65 and older moves from 4.9% to 29.6% and 37.4%. First annual crossover: 2001 · observed. Estimates run through 2023 and WPP Medium projections begin in 2024.

Youth and older population in Japan, 1950 to 2100 Japan annual age balance from 1950 to 2100. Under-18 population moves from 41.5% in 1950 to 14.4% in 2023 and 14.0% in the 2100 projection. Population aged 65 and older moves from 4.9% to 29.6% and 37.4%. First annual crossover: 2001 · observed. Estimates run through 2023 and WPP Medium projections begin in 2024. 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 1950 1975 2000 2023 2050 2075 2100 ESTIMATES · THROUGH 2023 WPP MEDIUM PROJECTION UNDER 18 · 14.0% 65+ · 37.4%
1950
Under 18 · 41.5%65+ · 4.9%
2023 observed
Under 18 · 14.4%65+ · 29.6%
2100 projected
Under 18 · 14.0%65+ · 37.4%
Annual evidence · 151 source rows
Japan under-18 and 65+ population history
YearEvidenceUnder 18Share65+Share
1950 observed 35,831,645 41.5% 4,234,256 4.9%
1951 observed 36,129,263 41.1% 4,334,645 4.9%
1952 observed 36,265,770 40.7% 4,469,309 5.0%
1953 observed 36,254,318 40.1% 4,605,987 5.1%
1954 observed 36,120,773 39.5% 4,746,027 5.2%
1955 observed 35,963,413 38.9% 4,877,489 5.3%
1956 observed 35,857,006 38.4% 4,997,825 5.4%
1957 observed 35,624,770 37.9% 5,103,590 5.4%
1958 observed 35,175,398 37.1% 5,221,349 5.5%
1959 observed 34,658,374 36.2% 5,379,377 5.6%
1960 observed 34,170,374 35.4% 5,535,892 5.7%
1961 observed 33,706,906 34.7% 5,683,889 5.8%
1962 observed 33,423,193 34.1% 5,838,904 6.0%
1963 observed 33,394,574 33.7% 6,001,852 6.1%
1964 observed 33,055,188 33.1% 6,183,954 6.2%
1965 observed 32,354,360 32.1% 6,387,844 6.3%
1966 observed 31,459,511 30.9% 6,626,068 6.5%
1967 observed 30,749,493 29.9% 6,885,347 6.7%
1968 observed 30,420,222 29.2% 7,114,697 6.8%
1969 observed 30,160,250 28.6% 7,334,867 7.0%
1970 observed 30,058,117 28.2% 7,536,651 7.1%
1971 observed 30,160,766 27.9% 7,771,979 7.2%
1972 observed 30,470,641 27.9% 8,071,680 7.4%
1973 observed 30,893,540 27.9% 8,373,677 7.6%
1974 observed 31,351,234 28.0% 8,671,827 7.7%
1975 observed 31,789,597 28.1% 8,976,651 7.9%
1976 observed 32,113,882 28.0% 9,309,212 8.1%
1977 observed 32,308,864 28.0% 9,660,456 8.4%
1978 observed 32,450,943 27.8% 10,023,813 8.6%
1979 observed 32,560,901 27.7% 10,386,697 8.8%
1980 observed 32,613,191 27.6% 10,733,643 9.1%
1981 observed 32,546,368 27.4% 11,069,432 9.3%
1982 observed 32,355,945 27.1% 11,399,464 9.5%
1983 observed 32,083,160 26.7% 11,706,649 9.8%
1984 observed 31,941,805 26.5% 12,079,619 10.0%
1985 observed 31,721,906 26.3% 12,507,270 10.4%
1986 observed 31,251,108 25.7% 12,915,264 10.6%
1987 observed 30,729,437 25.2% 13,363,616 11.0%
1988 observed 30,094,071 24.6% 13,849,351 11.3%
1989 observed 29,321,353 23.8% 14,395,504 11.7%
1990 observed 28,440,372 23.0% 15,004,468 12.2%
1991 observed 27,520,661 22.2% 15,662,983 12.6%
1992 observed 26,631,106 21.4% 16,351,615 13.1%
1993 observed 25,839,539 20.7% 17,034,600 13.6%
1994 observed 25,180,941 20.1% 17,724,547 14.1%
1995 observed 24,608,881 19.6% 18,423,727 14.7%
1996 observed 24,083,163 19.1% 19,150,091 15.2%
1997 observed 23,618,437 18.7% 19,905,571 15.8%
1998 observed 23,225,807 18.4% 20,652,474 16.3%
1999 observed 22,897,655 18.1% 21,389,594 16.9%
2000 observed 22,609,473 17.8% 22,155,974 17.4%
2001 observed 22,332,316 17.5% 22,950,485 18.0%
2002 observed 22,054,598 17.3% 23,711,751 18.6%
2003 observed 21,795,412 17.1% 24,378,302 19.1%
2004 observed 21,567,670 16.9% 25,079,477 19.6%
2005 observed 21,353,664 16.7% 25,943,248 20.3%
2006 observed 21,162,336 16.5% 26,851,852 21.0%
2007 observed 21,020,745 16.4% 27,701,138 21.6%
2008 observed 20,920,861 16.3% 28,519,037 22.3%
2009 observed 20,823,871 16.2% 29,179,771 22.8%
2010 observed 20,718,405 16.2% 29,608,270 23.1%
2011 observed 20,617,594 16.1% 30,298,315 23.7%
2012 observed 20,485,799 16.0% 31,358,649 24.5%
2013 observed 20,328,429 15.9% 32,457,218 25.4%
2014 observed 20,155,081 15.8% 33,434,880 26.2%
2015 observed 19,977,510 15.7% 34,266,492 26.9%
2016 observed 19,817,470 15.6% 34,984,283 27.5%
2017 observed 19,647,147 15.5% 35,549,931 28.0%
2018 observed 19,445,608 15.3% 35,973,889 28.3%
2019 observed 19,206,872 15.2% 36,272,487 28.6%
2020 observed 18,905,144 15.0% 36,524,973 28.9%
2021 observed 18,546,913 14.8% 36,719,727 29.2%
2022 observed 18,194,507 14.6% 36,752,598 29.4%
2023 observed 17,857,722 14.4% 36,766,302 29.6%
2024 projected 17,523,298 14.2% 36,854,609 29.8%
2025 projected 17,185,502 14.0% 36,923,776 30.0%
2026 projected 16,839,347 13.8% 36,969,021 30.2%
2027 projected 16,500,256 13.6% 36,999,585 30.4%
2028 projected 16,174,804 13.4% 37,036,823 30.6%
2029 projected 15,863,416 13.2% 37,107,550 30.8%
2030 projected 15,569,409 13.0% 37,233,934 31.1%
2031 projected 15,290,342 12.9% 37,219,634 31.3%
2032 projected 15,035,285 12.7% 37,240,279 31.5%
2033 projected 14,798,220 12.6% 37,449,167 31.9%
2034 projected 14,581,607 12.5% 37,655,359 32.3%
2035 projected 14,402,784 12.4% 37,908,145 32.7%
2036 projected 14,260,762 12.4% 38,220,457 33.2%
2037 projected 14,160,710 12.4% 38,575,968 33.7%
2038 projected 14,098,993 12.4% 38,969,251 34.3%
2039 projected 14,065,717 12.5% 39,354,758 34.9%
2040 projected 14,057,299 12.5% 39,647,535 35.3%
2041 projected 14,075,603 12.6% 39,835,335 35.8%
2042 projected 14,110,008 12.7% 39,945,497 36.1%
2043 projected 14,143,997 12.9% 40,000,497 36.4%
2044 projected 14,177,267 13.0% 40,009,807 36.6%
2045 projected 14,206,851 13.1% 39,968,782 36.8%
2046 projected 14,230,336 13.2% 39,879,902 37.0%
2047 projected 14,244,811 13.3% 39,764,016 37.1%
2048 projected 14,248,050 13.4% 39,649,665 37.2%
2049 projected 14,238,674 13.5% 39,537,025 37.4%
2050 projected 14,214,921 13.5% 39,401,531 37.5%
2051 projected 14,176,062 13.6% 39,230,132 37.6%
2052 projected 14,120,379 13.6% 39,034,001 37.6%
2053 projected 14,048,140 13.6% 38,816,751 37.6%
2054 projected 13,959,337 13.6% 38,564,810 37.7%
2055 projected 13,855,361 13.6% 38,276,987 37.6%
2056 projected 13,737,365 13.6% 37,974,942 37.6%
2057 projected 13,606,921 13.6% 37,662,833 37.5%
2058 projected 13,468,580 13.5% 37,329,503 37.5%
2059 projected 13,323,859 13.5% 36,997,008 37.4%
2060 projected 13,175,990 13.4% 36,658,156 37.4%
2061 projected 13,028,727 13.4% 36,301,103 37.3%
2062 projected 12,883,858 13.3% 35,939,645 37.2%
2063 projected 12,742,464 13.3% 35,578,130 37.1%
2064 projected 12,606,786 13.3% 35,219,184 37.0%
2065 projected 12,479,216 13.2% 34,871,410 37.0%
2066 projected 12,361,722 13.2% 34,541,600 36.9%
2067 projected 12,256,637 13.2% 34,223,514 36.9%
2068 projected 12,163,958 13.2% 33,920,412 36.8%
2069 projected 12,084,269 13.2% 33,635,343 36.8%
2070 projected 12,017,730 13.3% 33,360,334 36.8%
2071 projected 11,964,918 13.3% 33,109,771 36.8%
2072 projected 11,925,186 13.4% 32,897,298 36.9%
2073 projected 11,895,760 13.4% 32,709,784 36.9%
2074 projected 11,877,160 13.5% 32,537,802 37.0%
2075 projected 11,868,162 13.6% 32,379,332 37.1%
2076 projected 11,865,431 13.7% 32,236,193 37.1%
2077 projected 11,866,318 13.8% 32,105,682 37.2%
2078 projected 11,868,848 13.8% 31,990,130 37.3%
2079 projected 11,871,534 13.9% 31,880,736 37.4%
2080 projected 11,872,092 14.0% 31,782,472 37.5%
2081 projected 11,869,412 14.1% 31,692,190 37.6%
2082 projected 11,862,428 14.2% 31,591,101 37.7%
2083 projected 11,849,368 14.2% 31,478,714 37.7%
2084 projected 11,828,472 14.3% 31,348,291 37.8%
2085 projected 11,799,398 14.3% 31,201,182 37.8%
2086 projected 11,762,343 14.3% 31,044,487 37.8%
2087 projected 11,717,046 14.3% 30,878,206 37.8%
2088 projected 11,663,602 14.3% 30,696,869 37.7%
2089 projected 11,601,903 14.3% 30,509,221 37.7%
2090 projected 11,533,612 14.3% 30,329,084 37.6%
2091 projected 11,459,975 14.3% 30,153,382 37.6%
2092 projected 11,380,844 14.2% 29,981,812 37.5%
2093 projected 11,297,512 14.2% 29,813,989 37.5%
2094 projected 11,212,224 14.2% 29,650,312 37.5%
2095 projected 11,126,269 14.1% 29,491,204 37.5%
2096 projected 11,040,095 14.1% 29,336,604 37.4%
2097 projected 10,955,815 14.0% 29,186,839 37.4%
2098 projected 10,875,383 14.0% 29,041,464 37.4%
2099 projected 10,798,047 14.0% 28,900,042 37.4%
2100 projected 10,723,874 14.0% 28,763,952 37.4%
SOURCE · UN WPP 2024 · SINGLE-AGE POPULATION CHECKS PASSED · DETAILS⌄
Releasewpp2024
RevisionPOP/DB/WPP/Rev.2024/GEN/F01/Rev.1
Vintage2024 Revision, Online Edition
Retrieved2026-06-25T11:25:03+00:00
LicenceCC BY 3.0 IGO
Formulaunder18-vs-65plus-annual-history-v1
Transformpipeline.derive.age_structure_history
Raw file SHA-2566de949eb0d6bf3277959da88c7591c608ad5fd995a17b4f120c11245a351dfb1 · d9c962d7e0beb731d3450cfabba8499a1449411e3c8aec3aeced06a7a2955b6e
Measurement universeall 237 WPP country and area records in the canonical Register
Reference time1950–2023 estimates; 2024–2100 WPP Medium projection
UnitPeople and percentage of same-year single-age population.
Evidence statusAnnual estimates through 2023; WPP Medium projection thereafter. No interpolation.
Download image card Compare Japan with…
SOURCE · UN WPP 2024 CHECKS PASSED · DETAILS⌄
Releasewpp2024
RevisionPOP/DB/WPP/Rev.2024/GEN/F01/Rev.1
Vintage2024 Revision, Online Edition
Retrieved2026-06-25T11:25:03+00:00
LicenceCC BY 3.0 IGO
Formulathousands-to-people-v1
Transformreproducible canonical pipeline
Measurement universeDe facto population: all residents in the country or area, regardless of legal status or citizenship.
Reference timePopulation is measured at 1 July 2024; annual flows cover the source year.
UnitPeople; the source workbook's thousands are converted to whole people for display.
Evidence status2024 medium-variant projection; estimates run through 2023.