Japan's Population Falls Below 120 Million! Annual 'Natural Decline' Nears One Million, Foreign Residents Surpass 4 Million for the First Time

Japan continues to face the dual pressures of super-aging and low birthrates. According to the latest population statistics from Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs, the country's total population—including foreign residents—stands at 123,767,642, a decrease of 563,048 (0.45%) compared to the previous year (2025). Notably, the number of foreign residents in Japan has surpassed 4 million for the first time since records began in 2013, reaching 4,031,159.

NHK reports that when analyzing population distribution by prefecture, Tokyo remains the most populous with 14,077,553 residents, followed by Kanagawa Prefecture (9,194,723) and Osaka Prefecture (8,775,326). The least populous is Tottori Prefecture (527,236). According to the data, only three prefectures—Tokyo, Osaka, and Chiba—are experiencing population growth, while the remaining 44 prefectures are all seeing declines.

Excluding foreign residents, the Japanese national population stands at 119,736,483, officially falling below 120 million. This represents a sharp decline of 916,744 people (0.76%) compared to 2025, marking the largest decrease in both number and percentage since record-keeping began in 1968. Japan's Japanese population peaked at 127.07 million in 2009 (Heisei 21) and has now declined for 17 consecutive years.

In 2025, Japan recorded only 670,467 births—the lowest number since statistics began in 1979 (Showa 54). With birth rates continuing to fall and deaths remaining high due to aging, 1,593,475 people passed away last year. The 'natural decrease'—deaths minus births—reached 923,008, accelerating the pace of population decline.

Interestingly, while the Japanese population continues to shrink, the number of foreign residents in Japan reached 4,031,159 in 2026, an increase of 353,696 from the previous year. This marks the first time the foreign population has exceeded 4 million since data collection began in 2013 (Heisei 25). Foreign residents are concentrated in urban areas, with Tokyo hosting the most at 783,702. The five major metropolitan areas—Tokyo, Osaka, Aichi, Kanagawa, and Saitama—collectively host over half of all foreign residents.

In contrast to Japanese citizens, all 47 prefectures saw an increase in foreign residents compared to the previous year. In terms of growth rate, Hokkaido led the nation with a 14.89% increase, followed by Okinawa Prefecture (14.36%) and Oita Prefecture in Kyushu (13.90%).