Japan Population

After World War II, Japan has built itself up to become one of the world’s largest economies and a center of high technology. The country’s location makes them vulnerable to earthquakes. The most devastating was the 2011 earthquake that triggered a powerful tsunami that killed 29,000 people.

Key figures and facts

• Capital: Tokyo
• Ethnic groups: Japanese 98.1%, Koreans and Chinese 0.9%, other 1%
• Language: Japanese
• Religion: Shinto and Buddhism 91.6%, Christianity 1.5%, others 6.9%
• Population: 127 185 332 (2018)
• Control Form: Constitutional monarchy
• Area: 377 970 km2
• Currency: Yen at 100 sen
• GNP per capita: 42 281 PPP $
• National Day: December 23rd

Japan’s Population

Japan has an estimated population of 126 168 156 (2018), and an annual population growth of -0.2 percent. Japan’s population is very uniform. 98.5 percent are considered Japanese, 0.5 percent are Koreans and 0.4 percent are Chinese.

Japan is densely populated and 91.3 percent live in urban areas. Life expectancy at birth is 89 years for women and 82.2 years for men (2018). The dominant religions are Shintoism and Buddhism.

Population of Japan by Year (Historical)

Year	Population	Annual Growth Rate	Population Density	Global Rank
2020	126,476,350	-0.300%	346.9338	11
2019	126,860,190	-0.270%	347.9867	11
2018	127,202,081	-0.240%	348.9246	10
2017	127,502,614	-0.200%	349.7489	10
2016	127,763,154	-0.170%	350.4636	10
2015	127,985,022	-0.090%	351.0722	10
2010	128,542,242	0.030%	352.6007	10
2005	128,326,005	0.130%	352.0076	10
2000	127,524,063	0.180%	349.8078	9
1995	126,365,373	0.300%	346.6294	7
1990	124,505,129	0.430%	341.5266	7
1985	121,883,371	0.680%	334.3350	7
1980	117,816,829	0.940%	323.1802	7
1975	112,413,248	1.390%	308.3578	6
1970	104,929,140	1.280%	287.8283	6
1965	98,446,891	1.000%	270.0471	6
1960	93,673,504	1.030%	256.9533	5
1955	89,018,146	1.460%	244.1833	5
1950	82,801,973	0.000%	227.1319	5

Major Cities in Japan by Population

Rank	City	Population
1	Tokyo	8,336,488
2	Yokohama	3,574,332
3	Osaka	2,592,302
4	Nagoya	2,191,168
5	Sapporo	1,882,916
6	Kobe	1,528,367
7	Kyoto	1,459,529
8	Fukuoka	1,392,178
9	Kawasaki	1,306,674
10	Saitama	1,193,239
11	Hiroshima	1,143,730
12	Yono	1,077,619
13	Sendai	1,062,992
14	Kitakyushu	997,425
15	Chiba	919,618
16	Sakai	782,228
17	Shizuoka	701,450
18	Kumamoto	680,312
19	Okayama	639,541
20	Hamamatsu	604,987
21	Hachioji	579,288
22	Honcho	560,632
23	Kagoshima	555,241
24	Niigata	505,161
25	Himeji	481,382
26	Matsudo	470,166
27	Nishinomiya-hama	468,814
28	Kawaguchi	468,454
29	Kanazawa	458,826
30	Utsunomiya	449,754
31	Oita	448,796
32	Matsuyama	443,211
33	Amagasaki	442,062
34	Kurashiki	437,470
35	Yokosuka	428,881
36	Nagasaki	410,093
37	Hirakata	406,220
38	Machida	399,858
39	Gifu-shi	397,603
40	Fujisawa	394,513
41	Toyonaka	384,348
42	Fukuyama	383,187
43	Toyohashi	378,263
44	Minato	375,228
45	Nara-shi	367,242
46	Toyota	362,272
47	Nagano	360,065
48	Iwaki	357,198
49	Asahikawa	356,501
50	Takatsuki	354,357
51	Okazaki	352,250
52	Suita	351,519
53	Wakayama	350,889
54	Koriyama	340,449
55	Kashiwa	340,110
56	Tokorozawa	339,324
57	Kawagoe	337,820
58	Kochi	335,459
59	Takamatsu	334,112
60	Toyama	325,421
61	Akita	319,958
62	Koshigaya	317,326
63	Miyazaki	311,092
64	Naha	300,684
65	Kasugai	298,478
66	Aomori	298,283
67	Otsu	298,053
68	Akashi	297,168
69	Yokkaichi	295,730
70	Morioka	295,061
71	Fukushima	294,126
72	Ichihara	283,420
73	Maebashi	282,600
74	Ichinomiya	280,220
75	Hakodate	275,619
76	Ibaraki	273,881
77	Yao	273,102
78	Kakogawacho-honmachi	271,523
79	Tokushima	267,234
80	Hiratsuka	258,941
81	Yamagata	254,427
82	Fukui-shi	248,596
83	Mito	246,427
84	Shimonoseki	245,675
85	Takasaki	240,746
86	Fuji	239,903
87	Hachinohe	238,935
88	Neyagawa	238,438
89	Kurume	238,086
90	Sasebo	237,333
91	Chigasaki	231,546
92	Soka	231,334
93	Atsugi	229,088
94	Minamirinkan	223,904
95	Takarazuka	219,678
96	Ageoshimo	219,290
97	Chofu	212,866
98	Matsumoto	210,556
99	Kasukabe	206,804
100	Kishiwada	205,450
101	Numazu	204,207
102	Joetsu	204,026
103	Odawara	202,924
104	Kure	196,513
105	Nagaoka	195,207
106	Nishi-Tokyo-shi	195,053
107	Itami	193,413
108	Uji	192,814
109	Suzuka	191,366
110	Kofu	189,889
111	Izumi	188,974
112	Hitachi	186,196
113	Kushiro	183,501
114	Sakura	182,438
115	Kamirenjaku	178,628
116	Anjo	178,291
117	Tsukuba	175,478
118	Hirosaki	174,861
119	Tomakomai	174,695
120	Hadano	174,170
121	Obihiro	173,779
122	Ube	173,622
123	Hino	171,666
124	Takaoka	169,966
125	Kamakura	165,905
126	Saga	165,125
127	Tsu	163,350
128	Sayama	160,732
129	Kawanishi	160,409
130	Oyama	159,825
131	Ashikaga	159,560
132	Hitachi-Naka	156,700
133	Matsue	156,700
134	Nagareyama	155,889
135	Katsuta	155,857
136	Kumagaya	155,702
137	Tottori	153,987
138	Ota	151,993
139	Komaki	150,914
140	Ogaki	150,459
141	Higashimurayama	150,445
142	Ome	149,212
143	Moriguchi	148,239
144	Yamaguchi	145,404
145	Otaru	143,681
146	Urayasu	143,647
147	Yonago	141,257
148	Kuwana	139,940
149	Kariya	139,048
150	Musashino	137,368
151	Zama	134,560
152	Seto	134,135
153	Ebetsu	133,842
154	Tondabayashicho	132,762
155	Fujieda	132,748
156	Sandacho	132,747
157	Kakamigahara	132,130
158	Omuta	131,863
159	Abiko	131,660
160	Kadoma	131,616
161	Miyakonojo	130,883
162	Matsubara	130,744
163	Isesaki	130,581
164	Daitocho	129,410
165	Mino	129,016
166	Asaka	127,947
167	Kusatsu	127,569
168	Ueda	126,495
169	Okinawa	125,372
170	Beppu	124,954
171	Kashihara-shi	124,410
172	Niihama	122,948
173	Kisarazu	122,413
174	Nobeoka	121,838
175	Fujinomiya	121,404
176	Noda	121,300
177	Yaizu	120,946
178	Toyokawa	120,426
179	Shimotoda	118,620
180	Kokubunji	118,571
181	Ikoma	117,490
182	Ishinomaki	117,122
183	Hofu	116,814
184	Handa	116,008
185	Mishima	113,368
186	Kitami	113,026
187	Hikone	110,814
188	Kiryu	110,108
189	Komatsu	108,934
190	Iwatsuki	108,722
191	Tajimi	107,707
192	Iida	107,000
193	Fukayacho	106,484
194	Honmachi	104,230
195	Iwakuni	103,893
196	Isehara	103,290
197	Nishio	103,226
198	Inazawa	102,019
199	Tokuyama	101,022
200	Narita	100,530
201	Izumisano	100,484
202	Sakata	100,335
203	Konan	100,278
204	Chikushino-shi	100,242
205	Tsuruoka	99,709
206	Ikeda	99,365
207	Isahaya	97,260
208	Mobara	97,204
209	Ise	97,203
210	Kameoka	97,070
211	Sakado	96,545
212	Muroran	96,086
213	Onojo	94,846
214	Kanuma	94,792
215	Yonezawa	94,375
216	Kitakami	93,743
217	Chitose	92,831
218	Kaizuka	92,521
219	Maizuru	92,354
220	Kimitsu	92,015
221	Ginowan	91,689
222	Onomichi	90,825
223	Omura	89,807
224	Tsuyama	89,606
225	Izumo	89,175
226	Ashiya	88,462
227	Iwata	88,398
228	Konosu	88,382
229	Nabari	88,017
230	Yotsukaido	86,590
231	Hamakita	86,391
232	Gyoda	86,232
233	Hanno	86,151
234	Kashiwazaki	86,072
235	Ryugasaki	85,650
236	Iwamizawa	84,996
237	Kakegawa	83,893
238	Gotenba	83,683
239	Yachimata	83,211
240	Katori-shi	83,070
241	Kamigyo-ku	82,889
242	Sanjo	82,782
243	Sano	82,424
244	Kanoya	82,224
245	Tochigi	82,022
246	Tanashicho	82,001
247	Marugame	81,979
248	Yashio	81,234
249	Tatebayashi	81,163
250	Shibata	80,682
251	Gamagori	80,675
252	Izumiotsu	80,661
253	Toride	80,605
254	Mihara	80,276
255	Ushiku	79,909
256	Kashihara	78,947
257	Karatsu	78,219
258	Iizuka	78,095
259	Obu	77,753
260	Wako	77,324
261	Hatsukaichi	77,230
262	Tsurusaki	76,857
263	Furukawa	76,201
264	Shimada	75,670
265	Takefu	75,642
266	Okegawa	74,951
267	Miki	74,590
268	Inuyama	73,884
269	Kukichuo	73,262
270	Satsumasendai	73,021
271	Hanamaki	73,004
272	Yawata	71,545
273	Ito	71,467
274	Kazo	71,180
275	Yukuhashi	71,166
276	Tenri	70,941
277	Dazaifu	70,476
278	Maebaru-chuo	70,228
279	Tanabe	69,452
280	Omihachiman	69,078
281	Saku	68,774
282	Hekinan	68,761
283	Sukagawa	68,679
284	Fukuchiyama	68,624
285	Moriyama	68,473
286	Tsuruga	68,371
287	Matsuto	68,048
288	Tamano	67,675
289	Tsushima	67,547
290	Nakatsu	67,261
291	Shiojiri	67,048
292	Chiryu	66,951
293	Takayama	66,525
294	Togane	66,221
295	Sabae	66,180
296	Niitsu-honcho	65,799
297	Tanabe	65,792
298	Kashima-shi	65,703
299	Mooka	65,606
300	Shiki	65,300
301	Tendo	65,282
302	Gushikawa	65,140
303	Hasuda	65,050
304	Odate	64,432
305	Imaichi	64,212
306	Narutocho-mitsuishi	63,971
307	Shimodate	63,555
308	Tosu	63,484
309	Fujioka	63,247
310	Fukuroi	62,934
311	Ichinoseki	62,859
312	Sakurai	62,853
313	Kitahiroshima	62,259
314	Fussa	62,185
315	Ina	61,993
316	Nagahama	61,978
317	Honjo	61,757
318	Ueno-ebisumachi	61,487
319	Hita	61,370
320	Toki	61,283
321	Mizusawa	61,170
322	Kuroiso	61,119
323	Takaishi	60,400
324	Yoshikawa	60,399
325	Zushi	59,944
326	Koga	59,934
327	Nago	59,476
328	Shiogama	59,415
329	Uwajima	58,860
330	Otawara	58,777
331	Saijo	58,712
332	Hanyu	58,575
333	Chichibu	58,396
334	Kasaoka	58,350
335	Koga	57,893
336	Imaricho-ko	57,829
337	Kokubu-matsuki	57,785
338	Soja	57,358
339	Ishikari	57,190
340	Itoman	57,073
341	Hashimoto	57,004
342	Sakaidecho	56,979
343	Nogata	56,710
344	Chino	56,456
345	Moriya	56,455
346	Tomigusuku	55,604
347	Iwade	55,522
348	Anan	55,310
349	Nanto-shi	55,204
350	Shiroi	55,203
351	Satte	55,175
352	Nakatsugawa	54,900
353	Suwa	54,624
354	Himimachi	54,399
355	Okaya	54,175
356	Suzaka	53,911
357	Oami	53,128
358	Muko	53,111
359	Hatogaya-honcho	52,951
360	Kudamatsu	52,661
361	Kamifukuoka	52,212
362	Ishioka	52,193
363	Kariya	51,904
364	Miyako	51,610
365	Futtsu	51,539
366	Tagawa	51,497
367	Yuki	51,463
368	Minokamo	51,432
369	Miura	51,372
370	Noshiro	50,968
371	Shiraoka	50,863
372	Kitaibaraki	50,732
373	Fuchucho	50,635
374	Oi	50,482
375	Ono	50,119
376	Tateyama	49,953
377	Arashiyama	49,889
378	Sugito	49,706
379	Tokoname	49,443
380	Tomioka	49,170
381	Mutsu	49,109
382	Goshogawara	48,999
383	Saiki	48,954
384	Fujiyoshida	48,944
385	Masuda	48,465
386	Nonoichi	48,243
387	Kurayoshi	48,236
388	Shibukawa	48,211
389	Ami	48,145
390	Annaka	48,124
391	Iwakura	47,896
392	Sasayama	47,093
393	Sawara	47,088
394	Inashiki	46,883
395	Gujo	46,807
396	Naka	46,649
397	Nakama	46,634
398	Toyooka	46,389
399	Komoro	46,161
400	Hikari	45,774

Historical development

By the mid-1800s, Japan had a population of about 30 million. Modernization, industrialization and accompanying improvements in hygiene seemed to promote population growth, and in 1940 the population reached 71 million. Despite around two million war victims, the population increased to 83 million in 1950, and further to 117 million in 1980.

In recent years, family planning and rising living standards have helped to reduce the rate of growth. Low mortality (10 per 1000 residents, 2018) has resulted in a record high life expectancy for both women and men, 89 years for women and 82.2 years for men (2018).

People Groups

The population is ethnically very uniform, and 98.5 percent are considered Japanese. The Japanese have the traits of several Asian peoples, and there are several theories about the original population. One of these is that it was related to the Aino. From the south, a Protomalayan and Polynesian element has entered, and from the Asian mainland in the north, Mongolian people have migrated. These have then merged, except for the Ainos, which constitute an ever smaller minority in the north. In addition, there are small groups of Chinese and Koreans.

A special group in Japanese society is the buracumin, which resides all over Japan in nearly 6,000 small communities and counts about three million. They are descendants of people who in the feudal age took care of “unclean” professions such as teaching, slaughter and work with the dead. Despite being officially equated with the rest of the Japanese over 100 years ago, they still face discrimination, including when seeking positions or trying to find spouses.

Population Density

Japen is a densely populated country with a population density of 337.1 per square kilometer. Relocation from rural areas has created serious pressure problems in major urban and industrial regions. The counterpart to the industrial press areas is the provinces of northern and western Japan, which suffer from extensive rural depopulation. The growing industrialization has meant that big cities have grown enormously and have become very densely populated. In 1850, probably only ten percent of the population lived in cities, while today about 80 percent live in cities with more than 10,000 residents. Twelve cities in Japan have over one million residents.

Language

The official language is Japanese, which is spoken throughout the island. The language of the Ryukyu Islands is quite different from the language of Japan otherwise, but it is considered a dialect of Japanese. The Aino population of Hokkaido today speak Japanese. Their own language aino is now extinct. It is not related to any other known language. A Korean minority of around a million uses some Korean in between.

Biggest cities

City	Residents (year)
Tokyo	9 272 740 (2017)
Osaka	2 725 006 (2018)
Yokohama	3,724,844 (2015)
Nagoya	2 295 638 (2015)
Sapporo	1 952 356 (2015)
Fukuoka	1 538 681 (2015)
Kobe	1 537 272 (2015)
Kawasaki	1 475 213 (2015)
Kyoto	1 475 183 (2015)
Hiroshima	1 194 034 (2015)
Sendai	1 082 159 (2015)
Kitakyushu	961 286 (2015)

Administrative divisions

Prefectures	Capital	Area km²
Aichi	Nagoya	5 112
Akita	Akita	10 726
Aomori	Aomori	9 234
Chiba	Chiba	4 934
Ehime	Matsuyama	5 675
Fukui	Fukui	4 188
Fukuoka	Fukuoka	4 835
Fukushima	Fukushima	13 782
Gifu	Gifu	10 209
Gumma	Maebashi	6 363
Hiroshima	Hiroshima	8 474
Hokkaido	Sapporo
Hyogo	Kobe	8 385
Ibaraki	Mito	6 094
Ishikawa	Kanazawa	4 185
Iwate	Morioka	14 817
Kagawa	Takamatsu	1 861
Kagoshima	Kagoshima	9 131
Kanagawa	Yokohama	2 413
Kochi	Kochi	7 104
Kumamoto	Kumamoto	6,907
Kyoto	Kyoto	4 612
Mie	Tsu	5 672
Miyagi	Sendai	6 860
Miyazaki	Miyazaki	6 684
Nagano	Nagano	12 598
Nagasaki	Nagasaki	4 090
Nara	Nara	3 690
Niigata	Niigata	10 938
Oita	Oita	5 803
Okayama	Okayama	7 008
Okinawa	Naha	2 265
Osaka	Osaka	1 892
Saga	Saga	2 439
Saitama	Urawa	3 731
Shiga	Otsu	3 855
Shimane	Matsue	6 706
Shizuoka	Shizuoka	7 328
Tochigi	Utsunomiya	6 408
Tokushima	Tokushima	4 144
Tokyo	Tokyo	1 996
Tottori	Tottori	3 507
Toyama	Toyama	2 801
Wakayama	Wakayama	4 724
Yamagata	Yamagata	7 394
Yamaguchi	Yamaguchi	6 110
Yamanashi	Kofu	4 201

Largest islands

Island	Area km²
Hokkaido	83 451
Honshu	231 046
Shikoku	18 784
Kyushu	42 155
Okinawa	2 265