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.

Monaco is the country with the highest median age in the world. The population has a median age of around 57 years, which is around six years more than in Japan and Saint Pierre and Miquelon – the other countries that make up the top three. Southern European countries make up a large part of the top 20, with Italy, Slovenia, Greece, San Marino, Andorra, and Croatia all making the list. Low infant mortality means higher life expectancy Monaco and Japan also have the lowest infant mortality rates in the world, which contributes to the calculation of a higher life expectancy because fewer people are dying in the first years of life. Indeed, many of the nations with a high median age also feature on the list of countries with the highest average life expectancy, such as San Marino, Japan, Italy, and Lichtenstein. Demographics of islands and small countries Many smaller countries and island nations have populations with a high median age, such as Guernsey and the Isle of Man, which are both island territories within the British Isles. An explanation for this could be that younger people leave to seek work or education opportunities, while others choose to relocate there for retirement.

Japan JP: Population: Working Age: Age 15-74 data was reported at 86,797,720.144 Person in 2026. This records a decrease from the previous number of 87,636,645.464 Person for 2025. Japan JP: Population: Working Age: Age 15-74 data is updated yearly, averaging 91,707,366.827 Person from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2026, with 67 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 99,646,204.722 Person in 2000 and a record low of 64,245,345.834 Person in 1960. Japan JP: Population: Working Age: Age 15-74 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Japan – Table JP.OECD.EO: Labour Force: Forecast: OECD Member: Annual. POP1574 - Working-age population, age 15-74 Population data are based on data reported to the OECD Statistics Directorate by member countries via an annual national accounts questionnaire. For the projection period, series are extended using Eurostat projections (EUROPOP2023) for European countries, and United Nations (WPP2022) for other countries. The data is further adjusted by the OECD.

Japan JP: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population data was reported at 66.487 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 65.290 % for 2016. Japan JP: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population data is updated yearly, averaging 47.350 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 66.487 % in 2017 and a record low of 43.299 % in 1992. Japan JP: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age 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. Age dependency ratio is the ratio of dependents--people younger than 15 or older than 64--to the working-age population--those ages 15-64. Data are shown as the proportion of dependents per 100 working-age population.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on age distributions of United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; Weighted average; Relevance to gender indicator: this indicator implies the dependency burden that the working-age population bears in relation to children and the elderly. Many times single or widowed women who are the sole caregiver of a household have a high dependency ratio.

Graph and download economic data for Infra-Annual Labor Statistics: Working-Age Population Total: From 25 to 54 Years for Japan (LFWA25TTJPM647N) from Jan 1968 to Sep 2025 about 25 to 54 years, working-age, Japan, and population.

Japan Population Census: Age 20 to 24 Years data was reported at 5,968,127.000 Person in 2015. This records a decrease from the previous number of 6,426,433.000 Person for 2010. Japan Population Census: Age 20 to 24 Years data is updated yearly, averaging 7,822,781.000 Person from Dec 1920 (Median) to 2015, with 20 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 10,727,636.000 Person in 1970 and a record low of 4,609,310.000 Person in 1920. Japan Population Census: Age 20 to 24 Years data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistical Bureau. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Japan – Table JP.G002: Population: Annual.

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.; ;

This horizontal bar chart displays median age (year) by countries yearly using the aggregation average, weighted by population in Japan. The data is filtered where the date is 2021. The data is about countries per year.

This scatter chart displays urban population (people) against median age (year) in Japan. The data is about countries per year.

Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, and Spain and other 14 countries' historical and estimated median ages.

In 2024, Japan was estimated to have the highest median age of the G7 countries at **** years. Italy followed behind with **** years. On the other hand, the United States had the lowest at just ****. Germany had an increasing median age until 2016, before the curve started to flatten. This is because of the increased number of immigrants arriving in the country at the time, particularly in the aftermath of the Syrian Civil War.

This bar chart displays median age (year) by ISO 3 country code using the aggregation average, weighted by population in Japan. The data is about countries per year.

In Japan, ** percent of the population was 65 years or older in 2025, underlining the aging population of the country. Among the G7, Japan and Italy had a higher share of people aged 65 years. The United States had the highest share of children and youth between zero and 19 years at nearly ** percent.

Japan: Population ages 65 and above, percent of total: The latest value from 2024 is 29.78 percent, an increase from 29.56 percent in 2023. In comparison, the world average is 10.43 percent, based on data from 196 countries. Historically, the average for Japan from 1960 to 2024 is 15.37 percent. The minimum value, 5.74 percent, was reached in 1960 while the maximum of 29.78 percent was recorded in 2024.

Japan JP: Population: as % of Total: Female: Aged 65 and Above data was reported at 29.934 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 29.446 % for 2016. Japan JP: Population: as % of Total: Female: Aged 65 and Above data is updated yearly, averaging 13.229 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 29.934 % in 2017 and a record low of 6.270 % in 1960. Japan JP: Population: as % of Total: Female: Aged 65 and Above 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 65 years of age or older as a percentage of the total female population. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.; ; 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.

Japan Population Census: Age 35 to 39 Years data was reported at 8,316,157.000 Person in 2015. This records a decrease from the previous number of 9,786,349.000 Person for 2010. Japan Population Census: Age 35 to 39 Years data is updated yearly, averaging 7,688,109.000 Person from Dec 1920 (Median) to 2015, with 20 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 10,738,044.000 Person in 1985 and a record low of 3,410,738.000 Person in 1920. Japan Population Census: Age 35 to 39 Years data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistical Bureau. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Japan – Table JP.G002: Population: Annual.

This scatter chart displays female population (people) against median age (year) in Japan. The data is about countries per year.

Japan Population Census: Age 100 to 104 Years data was reported at 61,763.000 Person in 2015. This records an increase from the previous number of 43,882.000 Person for 2010. Japan Population Census: Age 100 to 104 Years data is updated yearly, averaging 43,882.000 Person from Dec 2005 (Median) to 2015, with 3 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 61,763.000 Person in 2015 and a record low of 23,873.000 Person in 2005. Japan Population Census: Age 100 to 104 Years data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistical Bureau. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Japan – Table JP.G002: Population: Annual.

Japan Population Census: Age 0 to 14 Years data was reported at 15,886,810.000 Person in 2015. This records a decrease from the previous number of 16,803,444.000 Person for 2010. Japan Population Census: Age 0 to 14 Years data is updated yearly, averaging 25,341,004.500 Person from Dec 1920 (Median) to 2015, with 20 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 30,122,897.000 Person in 1955 and a record low of 15,886,810.000 Person in 2015. Japan Population Census: Age 0 to 14 Years data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistical Bureau. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Japan – Table JP.G002: Population: Annual.

Japan had the highest age dependency ratio among G20 countries in 2023. That year, the population either aged 0-14 years or 65 years and older comprised a share of more than ** percent of the population of those aged 15 to 64. Japan is struggling with an ageing population and one of the lowest fertility rates worldwide. On the other hand, the age dependency ratio in Saudi Arabia was below ** percent, the lowest of the G20. The age dependency ratio is the population of those aged 0-14 and 65 and above as a share of the working age population aged 15-64.