Japan population sees record five-year drop: census
It is the biggest decrease since the twice-a-decade survey started in 1920
May 29, 2026 03:36
TOKYO: Japan’s population dropped by a record 2.5 percent in the span of five years, census data showed Friday, as the world’s fourth-largest economy struggles to overcome demographic woes.
A preliminary tally of Japan’s census, released every five years, found that the population slipped to 123 million people in 2025 — more than three million fewer than when the survey was last carried out in 2020.
