On July 29, data released by the Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications showed that as of January 1 this year, Japan's population had dropped to approximately 119.73 million people, breaking below the 120 million mark for the first time in 42 years. Nikkei Asia noted that this figure highlights the severe challenges Japan faces in dealing with the ongoing decline in the birth rate.
Data shows that Japan's domestic population has decreased by 910,000 people compared to the previous year, marking the largest decline since statistics began in 1968.
The population in Japan has been declining for 17 consecutive years. According to reports, despite the Japanese government having implemented measures to encourage childbirth in recent years, the decline in birth rates in the country has not reversed. In 2025, the number of newborns in Japan will be about 670,000, setting a record low, while the number of deaths will be around 1.59 million.
In Japan's 47 prefectures, only Tokyo Prefecture saw an increase in population size, with a year-on-year growth rate of 0.09%.
According to Yomiuri Shimbun, the findings indicate that Japan is experiencing accelerating issues of low birth rates and an aging population, along with a decreasing population.
Due to the long-term shortage of labor, Japan has gradually relaxed its policies regarding the acceptance of foreign workers in recent years. As more foreigners come to work in Japan, the number of foreign residents has increased for the fourth consecutive year. Among Japanese foreign residents, the proportion of people of working age has risen to 86.17%.
As of January 1 this year, the number of foreign residents in Japan exceeded 4.03 million, an increase of 354,000 compared to last year, reaching a record high. According to Nikkei Asia, if foreign residents are included, Japan's total population as of January 1 this year was 123.7674 million people, a decrease of approximately 563,000 compared to the previous year.
