Japan · Fortune Technology
Japan’s population is shrinking at an accelerating rate
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New census data over the past week showed Japan’s population shrank more quickly than in the prior tally.
Key facts
- On Thursday, the Japanese government increased fees for permanent residency to $1,271 from $64, a 2,000% jump that marks the largest increase in the country’s history
- As of October 2025, the total population, including foreign residents, was 22.9 million, down 2.5% from five years earlier
- The number of Japanese nationals revealed an even steeper decline of 3.5% to 119.1 million, following a 1.4% drop in the 2020 count
- Meanwhile, foreign residents jumped 40% to a record high of 3.84 million, and permanent residents climbed 17% to 947,125
Summary
While foreigners make up 3.4% of Japan’s population, the share has increased to a record high and a political backlash has been building—even as the country also grapples with rapidly aging demographics and the need to find new workers to sustain economic growth. On Tuesday, the latest five-year population survey detailed how stark Japan’s situation is. The number of Japanese nationals revealed an even steeper decline of 3.5% to 119.1 million, following a 1.4% drop in the 2020 count. Meanwhile, foreign residents jumped 40% to a record high of 3.84 million, and permanent residents climbed 17% to 947,125.