According to data released on May 26, 2026, from the latest national census, Japan's population, including foreign residents, has dropped by a record 3.1 million compared with 2020, to 123,049,524. This is the largest decline ever recorded, vividly reflecting the serious demographic challenges facing Japan's rapidly aging society.
Compared with the 2020 census, when Japan's population stood at 126,146,099 including foreign residents, the country has lost about 2.46% of its population over the past five years. Experts attribute this decline to persistently low birth rates and deepening population aging.
The 2025 census, conducted every five years by Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, is the most important official data source covering all residents regardless of nationality. The latest figures once again sound an alarm about the future of the nation with the world's highest proportion of elderly people.
Against the backdrop of a shrinking population, the Japanese government has been implementing various measures to boost the birth rate and increase acceptance of foreign workers to compensate for labor shortages. However, this record decline suggests that those efforts have not yet been sufficient to reverse the long-term downward trend in population.
