Japanese population sees greatest fall amid record foreigner growth and numbers
Japan's population decreased by 0.7% in 2023, losing 861,237 people. Foreign residents reached 3.3 million. Births fell to a record low, while deaths increased, highlighting demographic challenges.
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Japan's population decreased by 0.7 percent in 2023, marking a net loss of 861,237 people, the largest annual decline since 1968. Despite this, the number of foreign residents reached a record high of 3.3 million, with an inflow of 329,535 foreign nationals. The total population as of January 1, 2024, was 121,561,801. The birthrate continued to decline, with only 729,367 births recorded, the lowest ever, while deaths rose to 1,579,727, resulting in a negative natural increase of 850,360. The working-age population (ages 15-64) also fell by 521,056, highlighting a growing labor shortage as the elderly population (over 65) increased to 3.57 million, comprising 29.38 percent of the total population.
Tokyo was the only prefecture to see a population increase, albeit marginal at 0.03 percent, driven by internal migration. In contrast, the Kansai and Nagoya metropolitan areas experienced declines. Taito Ward in Tokyo saw significant growth due to its affordable real estate and tourism appeal. Meanwhile, the ski resort village of Akaigawa in Hokkaido reported a 22.33 percent population increase, largely attributed to seasonal foreign labor. Overall, while foreign resident numbers rise, Japan faces ongoing challenges related to its declining birthrate and aging population, which threaten long-term demographic stability.
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6 commentsWhat are HN's thoughts on what happens when all populations start trending older and the use of immigrants to stop the decline runs out of steam?
Do the elderly enslave the local young populace to keep production moving?
Does the state try to incentivize the young to have children by offering state care for the new children?
Does childrearing become a function of the state?
Does the world collapse similar to the bronze age collapse and having children again becomes useful for their labor and their ability to take care of the elderly once the concept of 401ks and pensions disappear?
Thoughts? Different ideas?
The non-Japanese segment of the population hit its highest level yet, but the birthrate continued to slow and areas such as the northeastern prefectures of Tohoku suffered heavy losses. Only Tokyo eked out an increase in population.
As of Jan. 1, 2024, the total population was 121,561,801, according to data released by the internal affairs ministry on July 24. The figures are taken from the government’s basic resident register.
The annual shrinkage was the greatest fall since the survey began in 1968.
The population shrank in the three major metropolitan areas--Tokyo, Kansai and Nagoya--although the city of Tokyo saw an increase for the first time in three years, driven by people moving to the capital from elsewhere in Japan.
Meanwhile, the population of foreign nationals living in Japan increased by 329,535 to 3,323,374. The figure exceeded 3 million for the first time since such data became available in 2013.
Of course, Japan had an entire generation in the 90s that never got a good job and they would be in their peak years now and should be having children, but can't, so they aren't and the nation wonders why? The USA will experience the same thing because the problems of 2007 never got fixed.
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