Japan’s Population Sees Record Decline

Tokyo has witnessed a historic decline in its Japanese population, with numbers falling below 120 million for the first time in 42 years.

According to government statistics released on Wednesday, the Japanese population as of January 1, 2026, stands at 119,736,483, marking a decrease of 917,000 from the previous year.

This decline represents the largest annual drop since comparable records began in 1968, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.

Regional Variations

Among Japan’s 47 prefectures, only Tokyo saw a slight increase of 0.09% in its Japanese population.

Rise in Foreign Residents

In contrast, the number of foreign residents in Japan has surged by 354,000 to reach 4,031,159, the highest figure since records began in 2013.

When including foreign residents, Japan’s total population stands at 127,676,642, a decrease of approximately 563,000 from the previous year.