Japan’s Population Declines by Record 900,000; Foreign Residents Surpass 3.5 Million for the First Time
On August 6, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications released population figures based on the Basic Resident Register. As of January 1, the number of Japanese nationals stood at 120,653,227—a decrease of 908,574 from the previous year. This marks the 16th consecutive annual decline, and the largest year-on-year drop since the survey began in 1968.
Since peaking in 2009, Japan’s population has shrunk by 6,422,956. The trend reflects the deepening impact of a declining birthrate and aging society, with the number of deaths far exceeding births. In 2024, Japan recorded 1,599,850 deaths—the highest ever—while births fell to a record low of 687,689.
Meanwhile, the number of foreign residents rose by 11% to 3,677,463, surpassing 3.5 million for the first time since data collection began in 2013. Although the foreign population declined in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it began increasing again in 2023, when COVID-19 was reclassified under Japan’s Infectious Disease Control Law as a Category V illness. The net increase of 354,089 foreign residents was also the largest on record.
As of January 1, Japan’s total population, including foreign residents, stood at 124,330,690. Although the number of foreign residents increased, it was not enough to offset the sharp decline in Japanese nationals. The net decrease from the previous year was 554,485 people—a drop equivalent to the entire population of Tottori Prefecture in just one year.
Foreign residents now account for 2.96% of Japan’s total population, up 0.3 percentage points from the previous year.
Population by Prefecture (As of January 1, 2025)
Source: Basic Resident Register, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications
Unit: 10,000 people | Change: Year-on-year (%)
| Prefecture | Total Population | Change (%) | Japanese Population | Change (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 1243.3 | –0.4 | 1206.5 | –0.7 |
| Hokkaido | 504.0 | –1.0 | 498.0 | –1.2 |
| Aomori | 119.0 | –1.6 | 118.0 | –1.7 |
| Iwate | 115.0 | –1.6 | 114.0 | –1.7 |
| Miyagi | 222.0 | –0.8 | 220.0 | –0.9 |
| Akita | 91.0 | –1.8 | 90.0 | –1.9 |
| Yamagata | 101.0 | –1.5 | 100.0 | –1.6 |
| Fukushima | 177.0 | –1.3 | 175.0 | –1.4 |
| Ibaraki | 285.0 | –0.6 | 275.0 | –1.0 |
| Tochigi | 190.0 | –0.7 | 185.0 | –1.0 |
| Gunma | 191.0 | –0.6 | 183.0 | –1.1 |
| Saitama | 631.0 | –0.1 | 608.0 | –0.4 |
| Chiba | 631.0 | –0.1 | 608.0 | –0.4 |
| Tokyo | 1400.0 | +0.7 | 1328.0 | +0.1 |
| Kanagawa | 920.0 | –0.1 | 892.0 | –0.3 |
| Niigata | 211.0 | –1.3 | 209.0 | –1.4 |
| Toyama | 101.0 | –1.0 | 98.0 | –1.2 |
| Ishikawa | 110.0 | –1.0 | 108.0 | –1.2 |
| Fukui | 75.0 | –0.8 | 73.0 | –1.1 |
| Yamanashi | 80.0 | –0.7 | 78.0 | –1.0 |
| Nagano | 201.0 | –0.8 | 197.0 | –1.0 |
| Gifu | 195.0 | –0.8 | 188.0 | –1.1 |
| Shizuoka | 358.0 | –0.9 | 346.0 | –1.1 |
| Aichi | 748.0 | –0.2 | 716.0 | –0.5 |
| Mie | 174.0 | –0.9 | 167.0 | –1.2 |
| Shiga | 141.0 | –0.4 | 136.0 | –0.6 |
| Kyoto | 247.0 | –0.6 | 239.0 | –1.0 |
| Osaka | 877.0 | –0.6 | 844.0 | –0.8 |
| Hyogo | 539.0 | –0.6 | 525.0 | –0.8 |
| Nara | 130.0 | –0.9 | 128.0 | –1.0 |
| Wakayama | 90.0 | –1.3 | 89.0 | –1.5 |
| Tottori | 55.3 | –1.0 | 54.2 | –1.3 |
| Shimane | 65.2 | –1.1 | 64.1 | –1.3 |
| Okayama | 186.3 | –0.7 | 182.2 | –0.9 |
| Hiroshima | 276.5 | –0.6 | 270.6 | –0.8 |
| Yamaguchi | 130.2 | –1.0 | 127.5 | –1.2 |
| Tokushima | 71.2 | –1.2 | 70.0 | –1.4 |
| Kagawa | 93.1 | –0.9 | 91.3 | –1.1 |
| Ehime | 132.4 | –1.0 | 130.0 | –1.2 |
| Kochi | 67.3 | –1.3 | 66.0 | –1.5 |
| Fukuoka | 511.2 | –0.2 | 496.0 | –0.5 |
| Saga | 80.1 | –0.9 | 78.6 | –1.1 |
| Nagasaki | 127.3 | –1.0 | 125.0 | –1.2 |
| Kumamoto | 172.5 | –0.7 | 169.0 | –0.9 |
| Oita | 112.4 | –0.8 | 110.0 | –1.0 |
| Miyazaki | 106.2 | –0.9 | 104.0 | –1.1 |
| Kagoshima | 153.1 | –1.0 | 150.0 | –1.2 |
| Okinawa | 144.0 | –0.3 | 139.0 | –0.6 |
Regional Population Trends: Only Tokyo and Chiba See Growth
Among Japan’s 47 prefectures, only Tokyo and Chiba experienced an increase in total population. The combined population of the Tokyo metropolitan area—Tokyo, Kanagawa, Saitama, and Chiba—rose by 0.2% year-on-year to 36,890,966. However, when looking at Japanese nationals alone, Tokyo was the only prefecture to show an increase.
Foreign Residents Increase Across All Prefectures
For the second consecutive year, the number of foreign residents grew in every prefecture. The largest increase was in Tokyo, which added 73,807 foreign residents, bringing its total to 721,223—the highest in the country. Foreign nationals now make up 5.15% of Tokyo’s total population.
Other notable increases:
- Osaka Prefecture: +31,549
- Saitama Prefecture: +27,422
Working-Age Population: Foreign Residents Help Stabilize Numbers
The working-age population (ages 15–64) accounted for 59.8% of Japan’s total population, nearly unchanged from the previous year. While the number of Japanese nationals in this age group declined by 505,950, the increase of 321,823 foreign residents helped maintain the overall ratio.
- Japanese working-age share: 59.0%
- Foreign working-age share: 85.8%
This reflects the younger demographic of foreign residents, many of whom are students, technical interns, or skilled workers—playing a vital role in regions facing severe labor shortages.
Rising Births Among Foreign Residents
With the rise in foreign population, the number of births among foreign residents also increased, reaching 22,738—the first time it has exceeded 20,000. Foreign nationals now account for 3.2% of all births in Japan, surpassing their share of the total population.