The median age of the population in Japan has steadily been increasing since 1950 and is projected to be around 47.7 years old in 2020. As of 2021, the median age of Japan is the second highest in the world, behind the Principality of Monaco. The elderly in Japan An improved quality of life and regular health checks are just two reasons why Japan has one of the highest life expectancies in the world. The life expectancy from birth in Japan improved significantly after World War II, rising 20 years in the decade between 1945 and 1955. As life expectancy continues to increase, Japan expects difficulties caring for the older generation in the future. Shortages in the service sector are already a major concern, with demand for nurses and care workers increasing. Fertility and birth rates The fertility rate among Japan’s population has been around 1.4 children per woman since 2010. Apart from a small baby boom in the early seventies, the crude birth rate of Japan has been declining since 1950 and is expected to be as low as 7.5 births per thousand people in 2020. With falling birth rates and such a large share of its inhabitants reaching their later years, Japan’s total population is expected to continue declining.

Over the last decade, Japan’s population has aged more and more, to the point where more than a quarter of Japanese were 65 years and older in 2022. Population growth has stopped and even reversed, since it’s been in the red for several years now.

It’s getting old

With almost 30 percent of its population being elderly inhabitants, Japan is considered the “oldest” country in the world today. Japan boasts a high life expectancy, in fact, the Japanese tend to live longer than the average human worldwide. The increase of the aging population is accompanied by a decrease of the total population caused by a sinking birth rate. Japan’s fertility rate has been below the replacement rate for many decades now, mostly due to economic uncertainty and thus a decreasing number of marriages.

Are the Japanese invincible?

There is no real mystery surrounding the ripe old age of so many Japanese. Their high average age is very likely due to high healthcare standards, nutrition, and an overall high standard of living – all of which could be adopted by other industrial nations as well. But with high age comes less capacity, and Japan’s future enemy might not be an early death, but rather a struggling social network.

Japan JP: Population: Female: Ages 25-29: % of Female Population data was reported at 4.844 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 4.936 % for 2016. Japan JP: Population: Female: Ages 25-29: % of Female Population data is updated yearly, averaging 6.968 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 9.438 % in 1974 and a record low of 4.844 % in 2017. Japan JP: Population: Female: Ages 25-29: % of Female Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Japan – Table JP.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Female population between the ages 25 to 29 as a percentage of the total female population.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on age/sex distributions of United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; ;

Graph and download economic data for Infra-Annual Labor Statistics: Working-Age Population Total: From 15 to 64 Years for Japan (LFWA64TTJPM647S) from Jan 1970 to Apr 2025 about working-age, 15 to 64 years, Japan, and population.

JP: Population: Male: Ages 40-44: % of Male Population data was reported at 7.874 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 8.107 % for 2016. JP: Population: Male: Ages 40-44: % of Male Population data is updated yearly, averaging 7.267 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 8.829 % in 1990 and a record low of 4.916 % in 1960. JP: Population: Male: Ages 40-44: % of Male Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Japan – Table JP.World Bank: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Male population between the ages 40 to 44 as a percentage of the total male population.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on age/sex distributions of United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; ;

In 2022, the average life expectancy of women in Japan was approximately **** years, whereas the life expectancy of men reached around **** years. The average life expectancy of both men and women in Japan indicated a ******** for two consecutive years. Aging workforce Japan has one of the highest proportions of senior citizens worldwide, with almost ** percent of the country’s population aged 65 years and older. The growing average life expectancy and declining fertility rates led to this demographic shift. To secure the nation's workforce despite the aging population, the Japanese government amended the Act on Stabilization of Employment of Elderly Persons in 2021 and requested Japanese enterprises to raise the retirement age to 70 for employees who wish to continue working after turning 60 or 65. Causes of death The leading causes of death in Japan are *****************************************************************. Lung cancer is the most mortal cancer site among Japanese men and women, but its mortality risk has declined from the 1990s onward. This development can be partially attributed to the downward trend in tobacco consumption. Since peaking in the 1970s, tobacco consumption in Japan has steadily declined, noticeable from the continuous decrease in the cigarette industry’s annual sales volume growth. Apart from a growing awareness regarding health risks, this downward movement can be explained by a tightening of prefectural no-smoking policies in the streets, many restaurants, and public places in general.

The statistic shows the total population in Japan from 2020 to 2024, with projections up until 2030. In 2024, the total population of Japan amounted to around 123.89 million inhabitants. See the figures for the population of South Korea for comparison. Total population in Japan From steadily low fertility rates to a growing elderly population, it is no secret that Japan’s population is shrinking. Population growth rates jump around a little, but are currently following a declining trend. The post-war baby boom generation is now in the 65-and-over age group, and the percentage of the population in that category is expected to keep growing, as is indicated by a high median age and high life expectancy. Japan already has the highest percentage of its population over 65 in the world, and the aging population puts some pressure on the Japanese government to provide welfare services for more people as rising numbers leave the workforce. However, the amount of jobs opened up for the younger generations by the older generations leaving the workforce means that unemployment is kept to a minimum. Despite a jump in unemployment after the global recession hit in 2008, rates were almost back to pre-recession rates by 2013. Another factor affecting Japan is the number of emigrants to other countries. The United States absorbs a number of emigrants worldwide, so despite a stagnating birth rate, the U.S. has seen a steady rise in population.

JP: Population: as % of Total: Female: Aged 0-14 data was reported at 12.256 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 12.304 % for 2016. JP: Population: as % of Total: Female: Aged 0-14 data is updated yearly, averaging 18.671 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 29.143 % in 1960 and a record low of 12.256 % in 2017. JP: Population: as % of Total: Female: Aged 0-14 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Japan – Table JP.World Bank: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Female population between the ages 0 to 14 as a percentage of the total female population. Population is based on the de facto definition of population.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on age/sex distributions of United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; Weighted average; Relevance to gender indicator: Knowing how many girls, adolescents and women there are in a population helps a country in determining its provision of services.

In 2023, the total population in Japan slightly decreased to just below 125 million people compared to the previous year, with the female population reaching around 63.9 million, as compared to 60.5 million men. The oldest population in the world  Japanese society is facing severe demographic problems such as decreasing birthrates, remaining under one million births annually recently, and a thereby aging population. The country’s average age lies at around 48 years, making its population the oldest in the world. Elderly people aged 65 years and older accounted for about 29 percent of the population in 2023. According to a forecast, the age group 65 years and older would make up approximately 39 percent of the Japanese population by 2070. Challenges with the demographic shift The rapid aging of the society poses significant economic and sociopolitical challenges to the country, as the workforce will continue to shrink while increasingly more elderly will receive long-term support. Currently, close to seven million Japanese require long-term care, leading to national benefit expenses of over 14 trillion yen annually, including in-home and community-based services.

In 2023, approximately *** million people within the age group of 15 to 64 years were counted in Tokyo Prefecture, an increase from about *** million people recorded in 2020. Over *** million inhabitants in the metropolis were aged 65 years and older.

According to a projection made in 2023, it was forecast that the number of people aged 65 years or older in Japan would increase from about **** million in 2024 to around ** million people by 2033. By contrast, the number of children, as well as the working-age population, was forecast to shrink in the same period.

Historical chart and dataset showing Japan population growth rate by year from 1961 to 2023.

According to an estimate from 2019, more than *** thousand immigrants in Japan were aged between 30 to 34 years old. Age groups constituting the working age population tended to be considerably larger than age groups comprising children and elderly people.

In 2023, the average age of persons engaged in farming in Japan stood at 68.7 years. The figure increased significantly throughout the past decade, compared to 66.2 years in 2010. Japan's agricultural workforce is shrinking Japan's aging population and low birth rate have produced a labor shortage in many industries. Since agricultural work is physically demanding and barely profitable and few young people are willing to inherit their parent's farm or enter the sector as newcomers, the number of commercial farm households consequently continues to decrease. The younger generations often prefer to move to metropolitan areas which provide work, convenience, and a modern lifestyle. Further obstacles to the Japanese agricultural sector Its geography complicates agriculture in Japan as the island nation regularly suffers from natural disasters. Typhoons, earthquakes, and tsunamis cause high damage costs to the agriculture, forestry, and fishery industry every year.Furthermore, only about 20 percent of the mountainous archipelago is suitable for cultivation, and the area of cultivated land keeps shrinking as more and more land is used for housing.

According to a survey conducted in November 2023, most women in Japan were within the normal range of the body mass index (BMI). Around 69.7 percent of female respondents in the age group 30 to 39 years were of normal weight in terms of BMI, while about 12.4 percent were overweight. Weights control in Japan The majority of deaths in recent Japanese society are caused by lifestyle diseases. In order to reduce the number of deaths from lifestyle diseases, the Japanese government implemented a new annual metabolic syndrome examination in 2008 for citizens aged over 40 years old. People who are classified as having metabolic syndrome or pre-metabolic syndrome at the examination receive advice and support from a nutritionist to improve their diet and lifestyle habits. The government also introduced a new license Tokuho in 1991 for food and beverages that contain ingredients that can have a positive influence on the physiological function. Major companies in Japan currently produce a lot of food and drink products that can meet the requirement of the license. Despite those measures, the share of people in Japan that are classified as overweight has not fluctuated much in recent years. As of 2019, close to 32 percent of Japanese men were classified as obese. Underweight among young women In contrast to the people categorized as overweight, young female Japanese are facing an underweight problem. According to the survey, approximately 24 percent of women in their twenties and 18.3 percent of girls below 20 years old were reported as being underweight. The Japanese health ministry pointed out that the dissemination of beauty standards in society and media, alongside the flooded information about diet methods, are facilitating young Japanese women’s desire to be “thin.” To reduce the risk of health disorders, such as amenorrhea and osteoporosis among women, the government has set the goal of less than 15 percent of the female population under 30 years old to be underweight by 2032.

【リソース】Delayed registrations for Japanese in Japan - Natality_1_Delayed registrations of live births, by sex and year of birth:Japan, each prefecture and 21 major cities / Delayed registrations for Japanese in Japan - General mortality_1_Delayed registrations of deaths, by sex and year of death:Japan, each prefecture and 21 major cities / Foreigners in Japan - Natality_1_Live births born in wedlock by nationality of father and mother / Foreigners in Japan - Natality_2_Live births by sex, month of occurrence and nationality of mother / Foreigners in Japan - Natality_3_Live births born in wedlock by nationality of father, each prefecture and 21 major cities / Foreigners in Japan - Natality_4_Live births by nationality of mother, each prefecture and 21 major cities / Foreigners in Japan - Natality_5_Live births, mean age of mother, by nationality and age of mother / Foreigners in Japan - General mortality_1_Deaths by sex, month of occurrence and nationality / Foreigners in Japan - General mortality_2_Deaths by sex, place of occurrence and nationality / Foreigners in Japan - General mortality_3_Deaths by nationality, each prefecture and 21 major cities / Foreigners in Japan - General mortality_4_Deaths by sex, age and nationality / Foreigners in Japan - Infant mortality_1_Infant deaths (under 1 year) by sex, month of occurrence and nationality / Foreigners in Japan - Foetal mortality_1_Foetal deaths by month of occurrence, sex and nationality of mother / Foreigners in Japan - Foetal mortality_2_Foetal deaths by type of extraction, age of mother and specified period of gestation / Foreigners in Japan - Marriages and divorces_1_Marriages by nationality of bride and groom / Foreigners in Japan - Marriages and divorces_2_Mean ages, marriages and their percent distribution, of bride and groom (for first marriages and remarriages performed and registered in 2018) / Foreigners in Japan - Marriages and divorces_3_Divorces and their percent distribution, by legal type / Foreigners in Japan - Marriages and divorces_4_Divorces by nationality of wife and husband / Japanese in foreign countries - natality,general mortality,infant mortality,marriages and divorces_1_Live births, deaths and infant deaths (under 1 year), by sex and month of occurrence / Japanese in foreign countries - natality,general mortality,infant mortality,marriages and divorces_2_Mean ages, marriages and their percent distribution, of bride and groom (for first marriages and remarriages performed and registered in 2018) / Japanese in foreign countries - natality,general mortality,infant mortality,marriages and divorces_3_Divorces and their percent distribution, by legal type / Japanese in foreign countries - natality,general mortality,infant mortality,marriages and divorces_4_Deaths by sex and age / Delayed registrations for foreigners in Japan_1_Live births, deaths, infant deaths (under 1 year) and foetal deaths, by sex, year of occurrence and nationality_(1) Live births and deaths / Delayed registrations for foreigners in Japan_1_Live births, deaths, infant deaths (under 1 year) and foetal deaths, by sex, year of occurrence and nationality_(2) Infant deaths and foetal deaths / Delayed registrations for Japanese in foreign countries_1_Live births, deaths and infant deaths (under 1 year), by sex and year of occurrence / Foreigners in Japan, Japanese in foreign countries (Causes of death)_1_Deaths of foreigners in Japan, nationality and of Japanese in foreign countries, by sex and causes (the condensed list of causes of death for Japan) / Foreigners in Japan, Japanese in foreign countries (Causes of death)_2_Infant deaths (under 1 year) of foreigners in Japan, nationality and of Japanese in foreign countries, by sex and causes (the list of causes of infant death) / Vital Statistics_Vital statistics of Japan_Final data_Other_Yearly_2018 / Delayed registrations for Japanese in Japan - Natality_1_Delayed registrations of live births, by sex and year of birth:Japan, each prefecture and 21 major cities,Delayed registrations for Japanese in Japan - General mortality_1_Delayed registrations of deaths, by sex and year of death:Japan, each prefecture and 21 major cities,Foreigners in Japan - Natality_1_Live births born in wedlock by nationality of father and mother,Foreigners in Japan - Natality_2_Live births by sex, month of occurrence and nationality of mother,Foreigners in Japan - Natality_3_Live births born in wedlock by nationality of father, each prefecture and 21 major cities,Foreigners in Japan - Natality_4_Live births by nationality of mother, each prefecture and 21 major cities,Foreigners in Japan - Natality_5_Live births, mean age of mother, by nationality and age of mother,Foreigners in Japan - General mortality_1_Deaths by sex, month of occurrence and nationality,Foreigners in Japan - General mortality_2_Deaths by sex, place of occurrence and nationality,Foreigners in Japan - General mortality_3_Deaths by nationality, each prefecture and 21 major cities

Approximately 36.5 million people in Japan were estimated to be within the age group 65 and over in 2024. This number was projected to increase until 2040 and then decline to about 20.1 million by 2120.

【リソース】Delayed registrations for Japanese in Japan - Natality_1_Delayed registrations of live births, by sex and year of birth:Japan, each prefecture and 21 major cities / Delayed registrations for Japanese in Japan - General mortality_1_Delayed registrations of deaths, by sex and year of death:Japan, each prefecture and 21 major cities / Foreigners in Japan - Natality_1_Live births born in wedlock by nationality of father and mother / Foreigners in Japan - Natality_2_Live births by sex, month of occurrence and nationality of mother / Foreigners in Japan - Natality_3_Live births born in wedlock by nationality of father, each prefecture and 21 major cities / Foreigners in Japan - Natality_4_Live births by nationality of mother, each prefecture and 21 major cities / Foreigners in Japan - Natality_5_Live births, mean age of mother, by nationality and age of mother / Foreigners in Japan - General mortality_1_Deaths by sex, month of occurrence and nationality / Foreigners in Japan - General mortality_2_Deaths by sex, place of occurrence and nationality / Foreigners in Japan - General mortality_3_Deaths by nationality, each prefecture and 21 major cities / Foreigners in Japan - General mortality_4_Deaths by sex, age and nationality / Foreigners in Japan - Infant mortality_1_Infant deaths (under 1 year) by sex, month of occurrence and nationality / Foreigners in Japan - Foetal mortality_1_Foetal deaths by month of occurrence, sex and nationality of mother / Foreigners in Japan - Foetal mortality_2_Foetal deaths by type of extraction, age of mother and specified period of gestation / Foreigners in Japan - Marriages and divorces_1_Marriages by nationality of bride and groom / Foreigners in Japan - Marriages and divorces_2_Mean ages, marriages and their percent distribution, of bride and groom (for first marriages and remarriages performed and registered in 2015) / Foreigners in Japan - Marriages and divorces_3_Divorces and their percent distribution, by legal type / Foreigners in Japan - Marriages and divorces_4_Divorces by nationality of wife and husband / Japanese in foreign countries - natality,general mortality,infant mortality,marriages and divorces_1_Live births, deaths and infant deaths (under 1 year), by sex and month of occurrence / Japanese in foreign countries - natality,general mortality,infant mortality,marriages and divorces_2_Mean ages, marriages and their percent distribution, of bride and groom (for first marriages and remarriages performed and registered in 2015) / Japanese in foreign countries - natality,general mortality,infant mortality,marriages and divorces_3_Divorces and their percent distribution, by legal type / Japanese in foreign countries - natality,general mortality,infant mortality,marriages and divorces_4_Deaths by sex and age / Delayed registrations for foreigners in Japan_1_Live births, deaths, infant deaths (under 1 year) and foetal deaths, by sex, year of occurrence and nationality_(1) Live births and deaths / Delayed registrations for foreigners in Japan_1_Live births, deaths, infant deaths (under 1 year) and foetal deaths, by sex, year of occurrence and nationality_(2) Infant deaths and foetal deaths / Delayed registrations for Japanese in foreign countries_1_Live births, deaths and infant deaths (under 1 year), by sex and year of occurrence / Vital Statistics_Vital statistics of Japan_Final data_Other_Yearly_2015 / Delayed registrations for Japanese in Japan - Natality_1_Delayed registrations of live births, by sex and year of birth:Japan, each prefecture and 21 major cities,Delayed registrations for Japanese in Japan - General mortality_1_Delayed registrations of deaths, by sex and year of death:Japan, each prefecture and 21 major cities,Foreigners in Japan - Natality_1_Live births born in wedlock by nationality of father and mother,Foreigners in Japan - Natality_2_Live births by sex, month of occurrence and nationality of mother,Foreigners in Japan - Natality_3_Live births born in wedlock by nationality of father, each prefecture and 21 major cities,Foreigners in Japan - Natality_4_Live births by nationality of mother, each prefecture and 21 major cities,Foreigners in Japan - Natality_5_Live births, mean age of mother, by nationality and age of mother,Foreigners in Japan - General mortality_1_Deaths by sex, month of occurrence and nationality,Foreigners in Japan - General mortality_2_Deaths by sex, place of occurrence and nationality,Foreigners in Japan - General mortality_3_Deaths by nationality, each prefecture and 21 major cities,Foreigners in Japan - General mortality_4_Deaths by sex, age and nationality,Foreigners in Japan - Infant mortality_1_Infant deaths (under 1 year) by sex, month of occurrence and nationality,Foreigners in Japan - Foetal mortality_1_Foetal deaths by month of occurrence, sex and nationality of mother,Foreigners in Japan - Foetal mortality_2_Foetal deaths by type of extraction, age of mother and specified period of gestation,Foreigners in Japan - Marr

【リソース】Delayed registrations for Japanese in Japan - Natality_1_Delayed registrations of live births, by sex and year of birth:Japan, each prefecture and 21 major cities / Delayed registrations for Japanese in Japan - General mortality_1_Delayed registrations of deaths, by sex and year of death:Japan, each prefecture and 21 major cities / Foreigners in Japan - Natality_1_Live births born in wedlock by nationality of father and mother / Foreigners in Japan - Natality_2_Live births by sex, month of occurrence and nationality of mother / Foreigners in Japan - Natality_3_Live births born in wedlock by nationality of father, each prefecture and 21 major cities / Foreigners in Japan - Natality_4_Live births by nationality of mother, each prefecture and 21 major cities / Foreigners in Japan - Natality_5_Live births, mean age of mother, by nationality and age of mother / Foreigners in Japan - General mortality_1_Deaths by sex, month of occurrence and nationality / Foreigners in Japan - General mortality_2_Deaths by sex, place of occurrence and nationality / Foreigners in Japan - General mortality_3_Deaths by nationality, each prefecture and 21 major cities / Foreigners in Japan - General mortality_4_Deaths by sex, age and nationality / Foreigners in Japan - Infant mortality_1_Infant deaths (under 1 year) by sex, month of occurrence and nationality / Foreigners in Japan - Foetal mortality_1_Foetal deaths by month of occurrence, sex and nationality of mother / Foreigners in Japan - Foetal mortality_2_Foetal deaths by type of extraction, age of mother and specified period of gestation / Foreigners in Japan - Marriages and divorces_1_Marriages by nationality of bride and groom / Foreigners in Japan - Marriages and divorces_2_Mean ages, marriages and their percent distribution, of bride and groom (for first marriages and remarriages performed and registered in 2017) / Foreigners in Japan - Marriages and divorces_3_Divorces and their percent distribution, by legal type / Foreigners in Japan - Marriages and divorces_4_Divorces by nationality of wife and husband / Japanese in foreign countries - natality,general mortality,infant mortality,marriages and divorces_1_Live births, deaths and infant deaths (under 1 year), by sex and month of occurrence / Japanese in foreign countries - natality,general mortality,infant mortality,marriages and divorces_2_Mean ages, marriages and their percent distribution, of bride and groom (for first marriages and remarriages performed and registered in 2017) / Japanese in foreign countries - natality,general mortality,infant mortality,marriages and divorces_3_Divorces and their percent distribution, by legal type / Japanese in foreign countries - natality,general mortality,infant mortality,marriages and divorces_4_Deaths by sex and age / Delayed registrations for foreigners in Japan_1_Live births, deaths, infant deaths (under 1 year) and foetal deaths, by sex, year of occurrence and nationality_(1) Live births and deaths / Delayed registrations for foreigners in Japan_1_Live births, deaths, infant deaths (under 1 year) and foetal deaths, by sex, year of occurrence and nationality_(2) Infant deaths and foetal deaths / Delayed registrations for Japanese in foreign countries_1_Live births, deaths and infant deaths (under 1 year), by sex and year of occurrence / Foreigners in Japan, Japanese in foreign countries (Causes of death)_1_Deaths of foreigners in Japan, nationality and of Japanese in foreign countries, by sex and causes (the condensed list of causes of death for Japan) / Foreigners in Japan, Japanese in foreign countries (Causes of death)_2_Infant deaths (under 1 year) of foreigners in Japan, nationality and of Japanese in foreign countries, by sex and causes (the list of causes of infant death) / Vital Statistics_Vital statistics of Japan_Final data_Other_Yearly_2017 / Delayed registrations for Japanese in Japan - Natality_1_Delayed registrations of live births, by sex and year of birth:Japan, each prefecture and 21 major cities,Delayed registrations for Japanese in Japan - General mortality_1_Delayed registrations of deaths, by sex and year of death:Japan, each prefecture and 21 major cities,Foreigners in Japan - Natality_1_Live births born in wedlock by nationality of father and mother,Foreigners in Japan - Natality_2_Live births by sex, month of occurrence and nationality of mother,Foreigners in Japan - Natality_3_Live births born in wedlock by nationality of father, each prefecture and 21 major cities,Foreigners in Japan - Natality_4_Live births by nationality of mother, each prefecture and 21 major cities,Foreigners in Japan - Natality_5_Live births, mean age of mother, by nationality and age of mother,Foreigners in Japan - General mortality_1_Deaths by sex, month of occurrence and nationality,Foreigners in Japan - General mortality_2_Deaths by sex, place of occurrence and nationality,Foreigners in Japan - General mortality_3_Deaths by nationality, each prefecture and 21 major cities

Retirement Age Men in Japan increased to 65 Years in 2025 from 64 Years in 2024. This dataset provides - Japan Retirement Age Men - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.