Japan Records Historic Population Decline as Citizen Count Drops Below 120 Million

Japan's citizen population has fallen below 120 million for the first time in 42 years, according to official government data released on Wednesday. The figures show that, as of January 1 this year, the number of Japanese citizens declined to below the 120-million mark, highlighting the country's continuing demographic challenges. Data released by Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications showed that the Japanese citizen population decreased by 917,000 compared with the previous year. This represents the largest annual decline since comparable records became available in 1968. Among Japan's 47 prefectures, Tokyo was the only one to register an increase in its Japanese citizen population, recording a modest growth of 0.09 percent, according to the report. Meanwhile, the number of foreign residents continued to rise. The foreign resident population increased by 354,000 to reach 4,031,159, the highest figure recorded since the ministry began compiling such data in 2013. Including foreign residents, Japan's total population stood at 123,767,642, a decline of approximately 563,000 from the previous year. Population growth was recorded only in the prefectures of Tokyo, Chiba, and Osaka. Earlier in May, government statistics revealed that Japan's child population had fallen to an estimated 13.29 million as of April 1, down by 350,000 from a year earlier and marking a new record low. The decline in the child population has now continued for 45 consecutive years. According to a report by Kyodo News, children under the age of 15 accounted for 10.8 percent of Japan's total population, down by 0.3 percentage points from the previous year. This is the lowest proportion since comparable data became available in 1950. The population estimates, including foreign residents, were calculated using data from Japan's national census, which is conducted every five years. Despite a series of government initiatives, including expanded financial support for families raising children, Japan's population decline has continued for the past 45 years. In an effort to address the country's falling birth rate, the Japanese government has designated the period leading up to 2030 as the "final opportunity to reverse the trend."