Japan's elderly population reaches record 29.4% as total population declines
By The South Asia Times
TOKYO - People aged 65 and over accounted for a record 29.4% of Japan’s population in 2025, highlighting the country’s accelerating demographic aging, according to finalized census results released Tuesday.
The share of elderly people increased by 0.9 percentage point from the previous census in 2020, as Japan continues to face a long-term decline in its population and a shrinking working-age demographic, according to Kyodo News.
Japan’s total population, including foreign residents, stood at 122,972,528 as of Oct. 1, 2025, down 3.17 million, or 2.5%, from five years earlier, according to the census.
Japan has conducted a national census every five years since 1920.
The latest figures showed that the country’s total population declined for the third consecutive census, underscoring the scale and persistence of its demographic challenges.
- Tokyo concentration reaches record level
The census also showed increasing concentration of Japan’s population around the capital.
About 30.1% of the country’s population was concentrated in the Tokyo metropolitan area as of Oct. 1, 2025, marking the first time the share has exceeded 30%.
The demographic trends present major challenges for Japan, including pressure on the workforce, social security systems and regional communities as the proportion of older residents continues to rise.
The figures also highlight the contrast between population decline across the country and continued concentration of residents in the Tokyo metropolitan area.
