Japan’s population posts record 2.5% decline over five years, census shows

Japan’s population has registered its steepest five-year decline on record, dropping 2.5 percent to 123 million, according to preliminary census data released on Friday. The latest figure marks a drop of more than 3 million from the 2020 survey — the largest fall since the once-every-five-years census began in 1920, and more than triple the decline seen between 2015 and 2020.

“The data once again confirmed that the population decline in our nation is deepening,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara told reporters. The findings underscore the intensifying demographic headwinds facing Japan as it struggles with one of the world’s lowest birth rates and a rapidly aging society.

The sustained population shrinkage carries significant economic and social implications, from labor shortages and pressure on pension systems to a shrinking domestic market. Analysts say the trend, if unchecked, could further slow economic growth and strain public finances.

While immigration has been proposed as a potential remedy, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has pushed for stricter controls on foreign inflows, reflecting broader political unease over the pace of demographic change. Official figures released alongside the census show that the number of births in Japan fell for the 10th consecutive year in 2025, totaling just 705,809 — a new low.

Governments at both central and local levels have rolled out a series of measures to encourage marriage and childbearing, including subsidizing parental leave, boosting child-rearing allowances, and even launching dating apps. Yet these initiatives have yielded only limited success so far.

Demographers warn that without more decisive action, Japan’s population could continue to contract for decades, reshaping the country’s economy, society, and global standing.