Japan’s population aged 65 and over reaches record 29.4% — Anadolu Agency

In Japan, the share of residents aged 65 and over reached a record 29.4% according to the 2025 census, while the country’s total population continued to decline. This was reported by Anadolu Agency, citing Kyodo News, which published the final census results.

The share of older people increased by 0.9 percentage points compared with the 2020 census. As of October 1, 2025, Japan’s population, including foreign residents, stood at 122,972,528. This was 3.17 million, or 2.5%, lower than five years earlier.

Third consecutive decline

Japan has conducted a population census every five years since 1920. The 2025 data showed the third consecutive decline in the population according to this count.

At the same time, the Tokyo metropolitan region accounted for 30.1% of the country’s population. The share of residents in this region exceeded the 30% mark for the first time.

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Birth rate remains low

Japan’s demographic decline is accompanied by a low birth rate. In 2025, 671,236 children were born to Japanese residents, 14,937 fewer than a year earlier. This is the lowest figure since comparable statistics began in 1899.

The total fertility rate fell from 1.15 in 2024 to a record low of 1.14. Preliminary data from Japan’s Health Ministry also showed that 342,068 children were born in the first half of 2026, including foreign nationals. This was 0.8% higher year-on-year and marked the first increase for January-June in 11 years.

The number of deaths during this period was 778,982, while the natural population decline amounted to 436,914 people.