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, around 29.1 percent of the total population in Japan was aged 65 years and older. Due to a low birth rate and high longevity, people aged 65 years and over were estimated to make up approximately 38.7 percent of the population in Japan by 2070. The share of children below 15 years old was expected to decrease to around 9.2 percent by that year.

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.

Japan Population Census: Female: Age 45 to 49 Years data was reported at 4,307,927.000 Person in 2015. This records an increase from the previous number of 4,005,147.000 Person for 2010. Japan Population Census: Female: Age 45 to 49 Years data is updated yearly, averaging 2,970,735.000 Person from Dec 1920 (Median) to 2015, with 20 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 5,290,031.000 Person in 1995 and a record low of 1,318,163.000 Person in 1920. Japan Population Census: Female: Age 45 to 49 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.

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.

Population ages 65 and above (% of total population) in Japan was reported at 29.56 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Japan - Population ages 65 and above (% of total) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

Graph and download economic data for Population ages 65 and above for Japan (SPPOP65UPTOZSJPN) from 1960 to 2024 about 65-years +, Japan, and population.

Graph and download economic data for Infra-Annual Labor Statistics: Working-Age Population Male: From 25 to 54 Years for Japan (LFWA25MAJPM647N) from Jan 1968 to Apr 2025 about 25 to 54 years, working-age, males, Japan, and population.

Japan Population Census: Age 15 to 19 Years data was reported at 6,008,388.000 Person in 2015. This records a decrease from the previous number of 6,063,357.000 Person for 2010. Japan Population Census: Age 15 to 19 Years data is updated yearly, averaging 7,884,538.000 Person from Dec 1920 (Median) to 2015, with 20 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 10,947,996.000 Person in 1965 and a record low of 5,419,057.000 Person in 1920. Japan Population Census: Age 15 to 19 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: Female: Age 0 to 4 Years data was reported at 2,436,785.000 Person in 2015. This records a decrease from the previous number of 2,586,167.000 Person for 2010. Japan Population Census: Female: Age 0 to 4 Years data is updated yearly, averaging 4,070,469.500 Person from Dec 1920 (Median) to 2015, with 20 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 5,558,029.000 Person in 1950 and a record low of 2,436,785.000 Person in 2015. Japan Population Census: Female: Age 0 to 4 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.

Graph and download economic data for Infra-Annual Labor Statistics: Working-Age Population Female: From 15 to 24 Years for Japan (LFWA24FEJPM647S) from Jan 1970 to Apr 2025 about 15 to 24 years, working-age, females, 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.

Population ages 0-14 (% of total population) in Japan was reported at 11.65 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Japan - Population ages 0-14 (% of total) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

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 July of 2025.

Population ages 60-64, male (% of male population) in Japan was reported at 6.244 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Japan - Population ages 50-64, male (% of male population) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

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.

Total current population for Japan in 2025 is 121,960,408, a 0.55% decline from 2024.

<ul style='margin-top:20px;'>

<li>Total population for Japan in 2024 was <strong>122,631,432</strong>, a <strong>1.51% decline</strong> from 2023.</li>
<li>Total population for Japan in 2023 was <strong>124,516,650</strong>, a <strong>0.49% decline</strong> from 2022.</li>
<li>Total population for Japan in 2022 was <strong>125,124,989</strong>, a <strong>0.44% decline</strong> from 2021.</li>
</ul>Total population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship. The values shown are midyear estimates.

Japan Population Census: Age 45 to 49 Years data was reported at 8,662,804.000 Person in 2015. This records an increase from the previous number of 8,033,116.000 Person for 2010. Japan Population Census: Age 45 to 49 Years data is updated yearly, averaging 5,439,514.500 Person from Dec 1920 (Median) to 2015, with 20 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 10,618,366.000 Person in 1995 and a record low of 2,658,567.000 Person in 1920. Japan Population Census: Age 45 to 49 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.

Age dependency ratio, old (% of working-age population) in Japan was reported at 50.28 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Japan - Age dependency ratio, old (% of working-age population) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June 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.; ;