In Japan, the population sex ratio has seen slight changes over the past decades. In 2021, the number of men was around 94.6 for every 100 women, constituting a decrease from 96.1 in 1950.

What is the sex ratio? The population sex ratio is determined by the sex ratio at birth, different mortality rates between men and women, as well as losses and gains through migration. In the absence of alteration, the sex ratio in human populations is quite constant, with only minor deviations. While the sex ratio at birth is usually 105 to 107, the population sex ratio, which refers to the total number of males for every 100 females, is often below 100. The reason for the shift mostly lies in differing lifestyles and physical constitutions of men and women. In general, women tend to be more resistant to disease throughout life, while men tend to engage in higher risk behavior or violence.

Influences and consequences
The sex ratio at birth and its possible determinants such as gestation environment, climate change, chemical pollution or socio-economic factors have long been subject to scientific research. Recently the impact of natural disasters, like the nuclear disaster in Japan in 2011, was presumed to influence the sex ratio at birth. The adult gender ratio has long been recognized as a key population-level determinant of behavior. However, there are many different or competing theories in existing literature about the social impacts of gender imbalance on topics such as violence, family stability, reproduction etc.

Japan JP: Sex Ratio at Birth: Male Births per Female Births data was reported at 1.056 Ratio in 2016. This stayed constant from the previous number of 1.056 Ratio for 2015. Japan JP: Sex Ratio at Birth: Male Births per Female Births data is updated yearly, averaging 1.056 Ratio from Dec 1962 (Median) to 2016, with 20 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1.056 Ratio in 2016 and a record low of 1.056 Ratio in 2016. Japan JP: Sex Ratio at Birth: Male Births per Female Births 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. Sex ratio at birth refers to male births per female births. The data are 5 year averages.; ; United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; Weighted average;

In 2023, the male population was estimated to reach approximately 60.46 million, while the female population was estimated at around 63.95 million. These figures were forecasted to shrink to about 24.1 million men and 25.64 million women by 2120.

Japan: Ratio of female to male students in secondary school: The latest value from 2019 is 1 percent, unchanged from 1 percent in 2018. In comparison, the world average is 1.00 percent, based on data from 119 countries. Historically, the average for Japan from 1971 to 2019 is 1.02 percent. The minimum value, 1 percent, was reached in 2018 while the maximum of 1.02 percent was recorded in 1972.

Sex ratio at birth (male births per female births) in Japan was reported at 1.051 in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Japan - Sex ratio at birth (male births per female births) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

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.

Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) (national estimate) in Japan was reported at 76.75 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Japan - Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (national estimate) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

JP: Population: Female: Ages 70-74: % of Female Population data was reported at 6.824 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 6.531 % for 2016. JP: Population: Female: Ages 70-74: % of Female Population data is updated yearly, averaging 3.467 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 6.824 % in 2017 and a record low of 1.805 % in 1960. JP: Population: Female: Ages 70-74: % 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 70 to 74 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, female (% of total population) in Japan was reported at 51.19 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Japan - Population, female (% of total) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on May of 2025.

Japan Sex Ratio: Inter Prefectural Migrants data was reported at 127.700 % in May 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 135.100 % for Apr 2018. Japan Sex Ratio: Inter Prefectural Migrants data is updated monthly, averaging 128.200 % from Jan 1998 (Median) to May 2018, with 245 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 146.600 % in Apr 1998 and a record low of 114.200 % in Mar 2018. Japan Sex Ratio: Inter Prefectural Migrants data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistical Bureau. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Japan – Table JP.G007: Vital Statistics: Migration.

Japan: Ratio of female to male students in tertiary level education: The latest value from 2022 is 0.97 percent, unchanged from 0.97 percent in 2021. In comparison, the world average is 1.21 percent, based on data from 117 countries. Historically, the average for Japan from 1971 to 2022 is 0.68 percent. The minimum value, 0.4 percent, was reached in 1971 while the maximum of 0.98 percent was recorded in 2019.

In 2022, around 58 percent of Japanese overseas travelers were men, while about 42 percent were women. During the past few years, the ratio changed to become more balanced, as women in their twenties and thirties increasingly started to travel abroad, but was reversed with the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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.

JP: Population: Female: Ages 10-14: % of Female Population data was reported at 4.192 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 4.200 % for 2016. JP: Population: Female: Ages 10-14: % of Female Population data is updated yearly, averaging 6.986 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 11.267 % in 1960 and a record low of 4.192 % in 2017. JP: Population: Female: Ages 10-14: % 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 10 to 14 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.; ;

In 2024, the total labor force in Japan was composed of approximately 69.6 million people, among which around 38 million were men and close to 31.6 million were women. While the number of men in the workforce declined, the number of women in the labor force increased, resulting in an increase in the total labor force.

Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) (modeled ILO estimate) in Japan was reported at 77.24 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Japan - Ratio of female to male labor participation rate - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

The representation of women in Japanese higher education continues to grow, with female students comprising 44.6 percent of university enrollments in 2023. This marks a steady increase over the past decade, reflecting changing societal attitudes and educational opportunities for women in Japan. Study field preferences Female students enrolled at universities in Japan exhibit a strong interest in the social sciences, with the highest number of female undergraduates majoring in the subject in 2023. At the postgraduate level, the engineering field had the highest number of female students in the same year. When it comes to gender distribution, humanities, education, medicine, and art attracted a higher share of women than men in postgraduate studies. Employment prospects The rising female university enrollment is translating into positive career outcomes. In 2023, 81.2 percent of female university graduates in Japan entered employment after completing their studies. It is worth noting that this proportion was much lower among women with postgraduate degrees, with below 70 percent of those with master’s and doctoral diplomas securing employment after graduation.

JP: Population: Male: Aged 65 and Above data was reported at 14,875,994.000 Person in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 14,607,271.000 Person for 2016. JP: Population: Male: Aged 65 and Above data is updated yearly, averaging 5,588,676.000 Person from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 14,875,994.000 Person in 2017 and a record low of 2,254,101.000 Person in 1960. JP: Population: Male: 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: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Male population 65 years of age or older. 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;

School enrollment, tertiary (gross), gender parity index (GPI) in Japan was reported at 0.97388 % in 2022, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Japan - Ratio of female to male tertiary enrollment - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

School enrollment, secondary (gross), gender parity index (GPI) in Japan was reported at 1.0042 % in 2019, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Japan - Ratio of female to male secondary enrollment - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on May of 2025.