In the past decade, Japan’s degree of urbanization has leveled off at around 92.04 percent. This means that less than 10 percent of Japan’s population of 126 million inhabitants do not live in an urban setting. Japan is well above the degree of urbanization worldwide, which is 55 percent. Japan is also known for its high population density: In 2017, it amounted to an eye-watering 347.78 inhabitants per square kilometer - however, it is not even among the top twenty countries with the highest population density worldwide. That ranking is lead by Monaco, followed by China, and Singapore. Japan’s aging population The main demographic challenge that Japan currently faces is an aging population, as the number of inhabitants over 65 years old is an increasing percentage of the population. As of 2018, Japan is the country with the largest percentage of total population over 65 years, and life expectancy at birth there is about 84 years. Simultaneously, the birth rate in Japan is declining, resulting in negative population growth in recent years. One method Japan is using to address these demographic shifts is by investing in automated work processes; it's one of the top countries interested in collaborative robots.

Japan urban population for 2023 was 114,608,860, a 0.39% decline from 2022.

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

<li>Japan urban population for 2022 was <strong>115,058,684</strong>, a <strong>0.35% decline</strong> from 2021.</li>
<li>Japan urban population for 2021 was <strong>115,459,909</strong>, a <strong>0.37% decline</strong> from 2020.</li>
<li>Japan urban population for 2020 was <strong>115,884,871</strong>, a <strong>0.2% decline</strong> from 2019.</li>
</ul>Urban population refers to people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated using World Bank population estimates and urban ratios from the United Nations World Urbanization Prospects. Aggregation of urban and rural population may not add up to total population because of different country coverages.

The statistic shows the development of the urban and rural population in Japan from 2008 to 2017. In 2017, about 117 million people lived in urban areas of Japan, compared to eleven million people in rural areas.

Urban population (% of total population) in Japan was reported at 92.13 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Japan - Urban population (% of total) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

Japan JP: Urban Population Growth data was reported at 0.248 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 0.344 % for 2016. Japan JP: Urban Population Growth data is updated yearly, averaging 0.900 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 4.082 % in 1961 and a record low of 0.248 % in 2017. Japan JP: Urban Population Growth 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. Urban population refers to people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated using World Bank population estimates and urban ratios from the United Nations World Urbanization Prospects.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on the United Nations Population Division's World Urbanization Prospects: 2014 Revision.; Weighted average;

Until 2007, the share of the global population living in urban areas was always smaller than the rural population, but in 2021, the world's level of urbanization has risen to around 56 percent, and by 2050, it is estimated that two thirds of the world will live in urban areas. Urbanization on such a large scale is a relatively new phenomenon, and has a strong correlation with the industrial maturity of a society. For most of pre-industrial times, fewer than five percent of the total population lived in urban centers, which were generally trading and administrative centers. The main reason for this was the agricultural demands of the time, where subsistence farming was the primary method of food production for the general population. Compared to Japan and China, a larger share of Western Europe lived in urban centers in the 16th century, due to higher levels of trade along the Mediterranean and between northern states, but around 94 percent of the population still lived in a rural setting. Effect of industrialization With the onset of the first industrial revolution in the 19th century, the mechanization of agriculture and development of manufacturing industries saw a shift in labor demands in Western Europe. People began migrating to cities on a large scale, and migration to the U.S. also increased due to industrialization in the northeastern states. Urban populations then became more prosperous, although mortality rates were initially higher due to the more rapid spread of disease and poor sanitation infrastructure. This mortality also disproportionately affected children and more recent arrivals. Global trends Waves of industrialization in Europe saw further urbanization throughout the 1800s, and roughly a third of the population had urbanized by the end of the 19th century. Globally, it would take until the 1960s before one third of the population had urbanized, and it was not until the late 1990s where China's urbanization rate had reached this level. However, China's urbanization rate has grown rapidly since the 1980s, and is now around 80 percent of the EU's level, whereas it was closer to 50 percent just two decades previously. Japan's urbanization rate was comparable to Europe's for most of the 20th century, but increased further throughout the 2010s; today it has one of the highest rates among more developed nations, although this has presented some challenges for Japanese society.

Urban population growth (annual %) in Japan was reported at --0.39172 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Japan - Urban population growth (annual %) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

Japan JP: Urban Population: % of Total Population data was reported at 94.316 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 93.928 % for 2016. Japan JP: Urban Population: % of Total Population data is updated yearly, averaging 77.150 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 94.316 % in 2017 and a record low of 63.272 % in 1960. Japan JP: Urban Population: % of Total 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. Urban population refers to people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices. The data are collected and smoothed by United Nations Population Division.; ; United Nations Population Division. World Urbanization Prospects: 2014 Revision.; Weighted average;

Access to electricity, urban (% of urban population) in Japan was reported at 100 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Japan - Access to electricity, urban - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

Japan JP: Urban Land Area data was reported at 108,678.242 sq km in 2010. This stayed constant from the previous number of 108,678.242 sq km for 2000. Japan JP: Urban Land Area data is updated yearly, averaging 108,678.242 sq km from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2010, with 3 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 108,678.242 sq km in 2010 and a record low of 108,678.242 sq km in 2010. Japan JP: Urban Land Area 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: Land Use, Protected Areas and National Wealth. Urban land area in square kilometers, based on a combination of population counts (persons), settlement points, and the presence of Nighttime Lights. Areas are defined as urban where contiguous lighted cells from the Nighttime Lights or approximated urban extents based on buffered settlement points for which the total population is greater than 5,000 persons.; ; Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN)/Columbia University. 2013. Urban-Rural Population and Land Area Estimates Version 2. Palisades, NY: NASA Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC). http://sedac.ciesin.columbia.edu/data/set/lecz-urban-rural-population-land-area-estimates-v2.; Sum;

Urban population in Japan was reported at 114223468 in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Japan - Urban population - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

Japan JP: Access to Electricity: Urban: % of Population data was reported at 100.000 % in 2016. This stayed constant from the previous number of 100.000 % for 2015. Japan JP: Access to Electricity: Urban: % of Population data is updated yearly, averaging 100.000 % from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2016, with 27 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 100.000 % in 2016 and a record low of 100.000 % in 2016. Japan JP: Access to Electricity: Urban: % of 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: Energy Production and Consumption. Access to electricity, urban is the percentage of urban population with access to electricity.; ; World Bank, Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) database from the SE4ALL Global Tracking Framework led jointly by the World Bank, International Energy Agency, and the Energy Sector Management Assistance Program.; Weighted average;

Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million in Japan was reported at 81118240 in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Japan - Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

Historical dataset showing Japan urban population by year from 1960 to 2023.

Forecast: Population in Urban Agglomerations of More Than 1 Million in Japan 2024 - 2028 Discover more data with ReportLinker!

Hamamatsu was the largest major city in Japan based on city area in 2024, with a size of close to **** thousand square kilometers. It was followed by Shizuoka, with a size of more than **** square kilometers. Overconcentration in Tokyo Economic, political, and financial activity in Japan is heavily concentrated in Tokyo. With around **** million inhabitants, the metropolitan area of Tokyo is the largest urban conglomeration in the world. Most of Japan’s largest companies have their headquarters in Tokyo, and the region attracts many young people who move there to study or work. A breakdown of the net migration flow in Japan showed that the prefectures of Tokyo, Kanagawa, Saitama, and Chiba, all part of the Tokyo metropolitan area, attract the largest number of people. In contrast, the majority of prefectures, especially those located in rural parts of the country, lose a substantial part of their population every year. Demographic trend in rural regions The overconcentration of economic activity in Tokyo has an impact on the demographic situation in rural parts of the country. Japan’s population is shrinking and aging, and rural regions are particularly affected by this. Many young people leave their rural hometowns to seek better opportunities in urban parts of Japan, leaving behind an aging population. As a result, many rural communities in Japan struggle with depopulation and a notable share of municipalities are even threatened with disappearance in the coming decades.

Comprehensive dataset of 179 Urban planning departments in Japan as of July, 2025. Includes verified contact information (email, phone), geocoded addresses, customer ratings, reviews, business categories, and operational details. Perfect for market research, lead generation, competitive analysis, and business intelligence. Download a complimentary sample to evaluate data quality and completeness.

Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million (% of total population) in Japan was reported at 65.43 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Japan - Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

Contains data from the World Bank's data portal. There is also a consolidated country dataset on HDX.

Cities can be tremendously efficient. It is easier to provide water and sanitation to people living closer together, while access to health, education, and other social and cultural services is also much more readily available. However, as cities grow, the cost of meeting basic needs increases, as does the strain on the environment and natural resources. Data on urbanization, traffic and congestion, and air pollution are from the United Nations Population Division, World Health Organization, International Road Federation, World Resources Institute, and other sources.

The population of Tokyo City amounted to approximately **** million people in 2023. Sapporo, the largest city on the northern Japanese island Hokkaido, came in fifth with around **** million inhabitants in the same year.