Japan's population falls 2.5 pct from 2020 to 2025

TOKYO, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- Japan's total population, including foreign residents, stood at about 122.97 million as of Oct. 1, 2025, down around 3.17 million, or 2.5 percent, from 2020, according to the finalized 2025 census results released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications on Tuesday.

The census, which started in 1920, has been conducted every five years. Japan's population has declined in three consecutive surveys since recording its first drop in 2015.

By gender, males numbered about 59.77 million and females about 63.2 million.

People aged 65 and over accounted for a record-high 29.4 percent of the population, underscoring the demographic pressures facing Japan's rapidly aging society.

Among the country's 47 prefectures, Tokyo was the only one to post population growth from the previous census in 2020, with an increase of about 189,000.