Japan's Population Experiences 14th Year of Decline

Key Takeaways

Japan's population has declined for 14 consecutive years.
Tokyo and Saitama are the only prefectures with population increases.
Individuals aged 75 and over now account for approximately 17 percent of the population.
Labor shortages are worsening due to the declining working-age population.
New data on solitary deaths highlights the issue of loneliness.

Tokyo, April 14 (NationPress) The total population of Japan, including foreign residents, reached 123.802 million as of October 1, 2024, according to data released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications on Monday.

The latest figures indicate a decrease of 550,000 compared to the previous year, marking the 14th consecutive year of population decline.

Out of Japan's 47 prefectures, 45 witnessed population drops, with only Tokyo and Saitama registering increases.

The demographic of individuals aged 75 and over rose by 700,000 to 20.777 million, now representing approximately 17 percent of the overall population.

When foreign residents are excluded, the Japanese population is 120.296 million, reflecting a decline of 898,000 from the previous year, which is the most significant drop on record.

As a result of the population decline, the issue of labor shortages is intensifying in the nation. The working-age population (ages 15-64) decreased by 224,000 to 73.728 million, accounting for 59.6 percent of the total population, which has remained below 60 percent since 2018.

Conversely, the number of foreign residents has increased significantly, with their population growing by over 350,000 year-on-year, reaching a record of 3.506 million.

Additionally, the National Police Agency of Japan released new statistics last week, indicating that 76,020 individuals died alone in their homes in Japan in 2024, with 76.4 percent of these individuals aged 65 or older.

In terms of age groups, the highest incidence of solitary home deaths was among those aged 85 and older (14,658), followed by those aged 75-79 (12,567), and those aged 70-74 (11,600).

Among elderly individuals found deceased at home, 39.2 percent were discovered within a day of their death. However, 4,538 cases (7.8 percent) involved bodies that remained undiscovered for over a month.

Officials noted that many of these cases were identified following reports of uncollected mail or when neighbors or relatives, lacking regular contact, raised alarms.

Regionally, Tokyo reported the highest number of solitary home deaths (7,699), followed by Osaka (5,329), Kanagawa (3,659), and Aichi (3,411).

This is the first instance of such data being compiled in Japan. The government intends to use these findings as a foundation for policy development aimed at combating loneliness and social isolation.

For decades, Japan has been dealing with the phenomenon of 'kodokushi' or 'lonely death,' which refers to individuals, often elderly, who pass away alone and go unnoticed for extended periods.

This issue first garnered public attention in the 1980s and has since escalated into a significant concern amidst Japan's rapidly aging population, diminishing household sizes, and weakening social connections.