Japan's population declines, falling below 120 million for the first time in 42 years
According to the latest data from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Japan's total domestic population has reached 123,767,642, a decrease of approximately 560,000 from the previous year. Notably, the Japanese national population stands at 119.73 million, marking the first time in 42 years that it has fallen below the 120 million threshold.
The Japanese population has declined in all 46 prefectures excluding Tokyo. The impact of a declining birthrate and an aging population has once again highlighted that population loss is accelerating, particularly in regional areas.
On the other hand, the number of foreign residents living in Japan is increasing. In this survey, the number of foreign residents rose in every prefecture across the country, with an overall increase of approximately 350,000. The role that foreign nationals play in Japanese society is becoming increasingly significant.
As such, Japan is currently undergoing two major shifts: a "decrease in Japanese nationals" and an "increase in foreign residents." Moving forward, society as a whole is being called upon to consider what measures are necessary to address the challenge of population decline.