Japan’s Record Population Drop Sparks Debate on Future
Preliminary data from Japan’s 2025 national census reveals a significant population decline to 123.05 million, a drop of approximately 3.09 million from the previous survey. This marks the third consecutive census with a shrinking headcount, showcasing the most dramatic decline on record at 2.5%. While Tokyo and Okinawa prefectures saw modest population growth, 45 other prefectures experienced decreases, with Hokkaido registering the largest fall. Concurrently, the number of households increased, but the average number of people per household continues to decrease, indicating a rise in single-person households.
John Q. Hosedrinker