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.

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.

Japan JP: Population: Total: Aged 65 and Above data was reported at 34,293,754.000 Person in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 33,735,537.000 Person for 2016. Japan JP: Population: Total: Aged 65 and Above data is updated yearly, averaging 13,829,440.500 Person from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 34,293,754.000 Person in 2017 and a record low of 5,199,270.000 Person in 1960. Japan JP: Population: Total: 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. Total 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;

Approximately **** million people in Japan were estimated to be within the age group 65 and over in 2024. This number was projected to ******** until 2040 and then ******* to about **** million by 2120.

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.

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 May 2025 about working-age, 15 to 64 years, Japan, and population.

Japan JP: Population: as % of Total: Aged 0-14 data was reported at 12.887 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 12.936 % for 2016. Japan JP: Population: as % of Total: Aged 0-14 data is updated yearly, averaging 19.437 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 30.264 % in 1960 and a record low of 12.887 % in 2017. Japan JP: Population: as % of 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.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Population between the ages 0 to 14 as a percentage of the total 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;

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.

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.

In Japan, 30 percent of the population was 65 years or more in 2024, underlining the aging population of the country. Among the G7, also Germany and Italy had a higher share of people aged 65 years or more than inhabitants aged zero to 19 years. The United States had the highest share of children and youth between zero and 19 years at nearly 25 percent.

Text A, Representation theorem for a right eigenvector of an irreducible non-negative matrix. Text B, Theorem for infinite series expansion of characteristic equation. Text C, Original definition of type-reproduction number. Text D, Extension theorem of type-reproduction number. (ZIP)

The G7 countries are facing aging populations in the coming decades. This is especially the case in Italy and Japan, where over ** percent of the population is forecast to be 65 years or older by 2050. By 2050, all G7 countries are predicted to have a higher share of people above 65 years than people between 0 and 19 years. Japan, Italy, as well as Germany already had a higher share of older population than children and youth in 2024.

The average for 2023 based on 196 countries was 10.17 percent. The highest value was in Monaco: 36.36 percent and the lowest value was in Qatar: 1.57 percent. The indicator is available from 1960 to 2023. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

Japan JP: Population: Total: Aged 15-64 data was reported at 76,153,398.000 Person in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 76,831,284.000 Person for 2016. Japan JP: Population: Total: Aged 15-64 data is updated yearly, averaging 80,594,785.000 Person from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 87,125,896.000 Person in 1995 and a record low of 59,307,022.000 Person in 1960. Japan JP: Population: Total: 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. Total 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;

IntroductionWe sought to assess the Japanese diet by examining the current dietary intake in Japan using the global reference diet from the EAT-Lancet Commission (Planetary Health Diet; PHD), from the perspective of protein intake in different age groups.MethodsAverage dietary intake by food group in the Japan National Health and Nutrition Survey 2019 (NHNS 2019) was converted to the PHD food groups, and the diet gap (DG) (%) of the global reference of the PHD was calculated by age group.ResultsAlthough the DG of the intake was excessive compared with the global reference of the PHD in most food groups in all age groups (7.1–416%), the intake exceeded the upper limit of the range only for red meat (640%). Red meat had the highest DG among subjects in their 40s, although the DG decreased with increasing age. Protein intake was within the possible range and did not greatly exceed the recommended dietary intake in the Japanese standard.DiscussionThe current Japanese diet contains an excessive intake of red meat in terms of the global reference of the PHD. This trend is similar to that previously reported in various western regions and countries. However, the Japanese diet does not significantly exceed the recommended protein intake for Japanese people, suggesting that the PHD is an environmentally friendly and healthy choice for younger and older age groups in an aging Japanese society. Policy makers need to develop sustainable and healthy food-based dietary guidelines in addition to providing food and nutrition education and developing a food environment that encourages sustainable and healthy choices to support dietary change.

The statistic shows the total population in Japan from 2020 to 2024, with projections up until 2030. In 2024, the total population of Japan amounted to around 123.89 million inhabitants. See the figures for the population of South Korea for comparison. Total population in Japan From steadily low fertility rates to a growing elderly population, it is no secret that Japan’s population is shrinking. Population growth rates jump around a little, but are currently following a declining trend. The post-war baby boom generation is now in the 65-and-over age group, and the percentage of the population in that category is expected to keep growing, as is indicated by a high median age and high life expectancy. Japan already has the highest percentage of its population over 65 in the world, and the aging population puts some pressure on the Japanese government to provide welfare services for more people as rising numbers leave the workforce. However, the amount of jobs opened up for the younger generations by the older generations leaving the workforce means that unemployment is kept to a minimum. Despite a jump in unemployment after the global recession hit in 2008, rates were almost back to pre-recession rates by 2013. Another factor affecting Japan is the number of emigrants to other countries. The United States absorbs a number of emigrants worldwide, so despite a stagnating birth rate, the U.S. has seen a steady rise in population.

There were 61 700 000 Facebook users in Japan in November 2024, which accounted for 49.5% of its entire population. The majority of them were women - 55.9%. People aged 25 to 34 were the largest user group (14 500 000). The highest difference between men and women occurs within people aged 25 to 34, where women lead by 6 200 000.

Taxa that are found in more than 50Â % of the subjects in any cluster (shown in Additional file 8) with significantly difference between elderly 1 and elderly 2 clusters. (XLSX 859Â kb)

Cell number of bacteria in vitro assay. (XLSX 855Â kb)

Japan Biopharmaceutical Market Size was valued at USD 23.5 Billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 35.8 Billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 4.56% from 2026 to 2032.Japan Biopharmaceutical Market Drivers and TrendsAccording to Verified Market Research:, the following drivers and trends are shaping the Japan Biopharmaceutical Market:Aging Population Demographics - Japan's super-aged society with over 28% of population above 65 years creates substantial demand for biopharmaceuticals treating age-related conditions including cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases.Government Healthcare Initiatives - Japan's healthcare digitalization policies and regenerative medicine promotion laws accelerate biopharmaceutical adoption while the government's 10-year drug discovery strategy supports domestic innovation.