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.

In 2023, people aged 65 years and older in Japan accounted for approximately **** percent of the total Japanese population. Due to a low birth rate and high longevity, people aged 65 years and older were estimated to make up almost ** percent of the population in Japan by 2070.

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.

JP: Population: Male: Ages 60-64: % of Male Population data was reported at 6.435 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 6.651 % for 2016. JP: Population: Male: Ages 60-64: % of Male Population data is updated yearly, averaging 4.858 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 7.840 % in 2010 and a record low of 3.054 % in 1960. JP: Population: Male: Ages 60-64: % 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 60 to 64 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.; ;

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.; ;

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.

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.

The total population in Japan was estimated at 123.6 million people in 2024, according to the latest census figures and projections from Trading Economics. This dataset provides - Japan Population - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

JP: Population: Male: Ages 70-74: % of Male Population data was reported at 6.279 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 5.973 % for 2016. JP: Population: Male: Ages 70-74: % of Male Population data is updated yearly, averaging 2.511 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 6.279 % in 2017 and a record low of 1.474 % in 1960. JP: Population: Male: Ages 70-74: % 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 70 to 74 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.; ;

Japan JP: Population: Female: Ages 50-54: % of Female Population data was reported at 6.211 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 6.126 % for 2016. Japan JP: Population: Female: Ages 50-54: % of Female Population data is updated yearly, averaging 6.164 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 8.043 % in 2000 and a record low of 4.531 % in 1960. Japan JP: Population: Female: Ages 50-54: % 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: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Female population between the ages 50 to 54 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.; ;

Population ages 15-64 (% of total population) in Japan was reported at 58.79 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Japan - Population ages 15-64 (% of total) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

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.

JP: Population: Total: Aged 0-14 data was reported at 16,338,645.000 Person in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 16,427,690.000 Person for 2016. JP: Population: Total: Aged 0-14 data is updated yearly, averaging 23,879,750.000 Person from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 27,994,280.000 Person in 1960 and a record low of 16,338,645.000 Person in 2017. JP: Population: Total: 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. Total population between the ages 0 to 14. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.; ; World Bank staff estimates using the World Bank's total population and age/sex distributions of the United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; Sum;

Graph and download economic data for Infra-Annual Labor Statistics: Working-Age Population Total: 15 Years or over for Japan (LFWATTTTJPM647N) from Jan 1955 to Apr 2025 about 15 years +, working-age, Japan, and population.

JP: Population: Male data was reported at 61,915,092.000 Person in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 62,032,385.000 Person for 2016. JP: Population: Male data is updated yearly, averaging 60,575,436.000 Person from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 62,682,056.000 Person in 2008 and a record low of 45,531,686.000 Person in 1960. JP: Population: Male 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 is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all male residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.; ; World Bank staff estimates using the World Bank's total population and age/sex distributions of the United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; Sum;

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, 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.

In 2023, the number of individuals aged 15 years and older amounted to approximately 110.17 million people in Japan. While this number increased until 2011, it has been stagnant over the years that followed.

Female: Total, Female: 0-4 years old, Female: 5-9 years old, Female: 10-14 years old, Female: 15-19 years old, Female: 20-24 years old, Female: 25-29 years old, Female: 30-34 years old, Female: 35-39 years old, Female: 40-44 years old, Female: 45-49 years old, Female: 50-54 years old, Female: 55-59 years old, Female: 60 and ove, Both Sexes

JP: Population: Male: Aged 15-64 data was reported at 38,650,990.000 Person in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 38,990,759.000 Person for 2016. JP: Population: Male: Aged 15-64 data is updated yearly, averaging 40,482,902.000 Person from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 43,930,187.000 Person in 1996 and a record low of 28,971,531.000 Person in 1960. JP: Population: Male: Aged 15-64 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 15 to 64. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.; ; World Bank staff estimates using the World Bank's total population and age/sex distributions of the United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; Sum;