Japan Records Largest-Ever Population Drop in 2024
Japan’s population crisis deepened last year, with government data showing the biggest annual decline on record. As of January 1, 2025, the nation’s total population — including foreign residents — stood at 124.33 million, down 554,485 from a year earlier.
The number of Japanese nationals fell by a record 908,574 to 120.65 million, marking the steepest drop since records began in 1968 and the 16th consecutive year of decline. Birth rates remain at historic lows, with more than twice as many deaths as births each year.
Since peaking at 126.6 million in 2009, Japan’s population has been shrinking, driven by an aging society, economic challenges, and persistent gender norms.