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 29.6 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 39 percent of the population in Japan by 2070.

Graph and download economic data for Infra-Annual Labor Statistics: Working-Age Population Male: From 15 to 24 Years for Japan (LFWA24MAJPM647N) from Jan 1968 to Jan 2025 about 15 to 24 years, working-age, males, Japan, and population.

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 36.5 million in 2024 to around 37 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.

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.

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.

Population ages 0-14, female (% of female population) in Japan was reported at 11.07 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Japan - Population ages 0-14, female (% of total) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on March of 2025.

Japan JP: Population: as % of Total: Female: Aged 15-64 data was reported at 57.810 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 58.249 % for 2016. Japan JP: Population: as % of Total: Female: Aged 15-64 data is updated yearly, averaging 67.272 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 69.262 % in 1969 and a record low of 57.810 % in 2017. Japan JP: Population: as % of Total: Female: 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. Female population between the ages 15 to 64 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 JP: Trend Population: Working Age: Age 15-74 data was reported at 86,816,787.818 Person in 2026. This records a decrease from the previous number of 87,652,738.327 Person for 2025. Japan JP: Trend Population: Working Age: Age 15-74 data is updated yearly, averaging 95,912,211.848 Person from Dec 1985 (Median) to 2026, with 42 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 99,647,921.387 Person in 2000 and a record low of 86,816,787.818 Person in 2026. Japan JP: Trend 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. POPS1574 - Trend working-age population, age 15-74

Population ages 30-34, female (% of female population) in Japan was reported at 4.7353 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Japan - Population ages 30-34, female (% of female population) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on March of 2025.

Japan JP: Population: Female: Ages 30-34: % of Female Population data was reported at 5.446 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 5.564 % for 2016. Japan JP: Population: Female: Ages 30-34: % of Female Population data is updated yearly, averaging 7.364 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 8.963 % in 1979 and a record low of 5.446 % in 2017. Japan JP: Population: Female: Ages 30-34: % 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 30 to 34 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.; ;

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.

Japan Working Age Population: Male data was reported at 53,640.000 Person th in Oct 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 53,630.000 Person th for Sep 2018. Japan Working Age Population: Male data is updated monthly, averaging 49,755.000 Person th from Jan 1965 (Median) to Oct 2018, with 640 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 53,680.000 Person th in Nov 2017 and a record low of 34,960.000 Person th in Jan 1965. Japan Working Age Population: Male data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistical Bureau. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Japan – Table JP.G011: Labour Force Survey: Working Age Population. Data from 2011 March to 2011 August have been missing due to Great East Japan Earthquake. Statistics Bureau has complemented the data for this period by estimating 'Employed person', 'Unemployed person' and 'Not in labour force' in the devastated quake-hit prefectures(Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima) from related statistics such as 'Monthly Labour Survey' and 'Employment referrals for general workers'. The figures are not official data but rather referential ones for time-series comparison.

Graph and download economic data for Infra-Annual Labor Statistics: Working-Age Population Total: 15 Years or over for Japan (LFWATTTTJPA647S) from 1955 to 2024 about 15 years +, working-age, Japan, and population.

School age population, post-secondary non-tertiary education, both sexes (number) in Japan was reported at 1194594 Persons in 2018, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Japan - Population of the official age for post-secondary non-tertiary education, both sexes - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on March of 2025.

Population ages 0-14, female in Japan was reported at 7056747 Persons in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Japan - Population ages 0-14, female - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on March of 2025.

Japan Population Census: Male: Age 35 to 39 Years data was reported at 4,204,202.000 Person in 2015. This records a decrease from the previous number of 4,950,122.000 Person for 2010. Japan Population Census: Male: Age 35 to 39 Years data is updated yearly, averaging 3,859,640.500 Person from Dec 1920 (Median) to 2015, with 20 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 5,398,230.000 Person in 1985 and a record low of 1,707,771.000 Person in 1920. Japan Population Census: Male: 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.

Population ages 65-69, female (% of female population) in Japan was reported at 5.8759 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Japan - Population ages 65-69, female (% of female population) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on March of 2025.

In 2023, approximately 9.4 million people within the age group of 15 to 64 years were counted in Tokyo Prefecture, an increase from about 8.94 million people recorded in 2020. Over 3.2 million inhabitants in the metropolis were aged 65 years and older.

Female: Total, Female: Age 0, Female: Age 1, Female: Age 2, Female: Age 3, Female: Age 4, Female: Age 5, Female: Age 6, Female: Age 7, Female: Age 8, Female: Age 9, Female: Age 10, Female: Age 11, Female: Age 12, Female: Age 13, Female: Age 14, Female: Age 15, Female: Age 16, Female: Age 17, Female: Age 18, Female: Age 19, Female: Age 20, Female: Age 21, Female: Age 22, Female: Age 23, Female: Age 24, Female: Age 25, Female: Age 26, Female: Age 27, Female: Age 28, Female: Age 29, Female: Age 30, Female: Age 31, Female: Age 32, Female: Age 33, Female: Age 34, Female: Age 35, Female: Age 36, Female: Age 37, Female: Age 38, Female: Age 39, Female: Age 40, Female: Age 41, Female: Age 42, Female: Age 43, Female: Age 44, Female: Age 45, Female: Age 46, Female: Age 47, Female: Age 48, Female: Age 49, Female: Age 50, Female: Age 51, Female: Age 52, Female: Age 53, Female: Age 54, Female: Age 55, Female: Age 56, Female: Age 57, Female: Age 58, Female: Age 59, Female: Age 60, Female: Age 61, Female: Age 62, Female: Age 63, Female: Age 64, Female: Age 65, Female: Age 66, Female: Age 67, Female: Age 68, Female: Age 69, Female: Age 70, Female: Age 71, Female: Age 72, Female: Age 73, Female: Age 74, Female: Age 75, Female: Age 76, Female: Age 77, Female: Age 78, Female: Age 79, Female: Age 80 and over