Japan's elderly share hits new record of 29.4% in 2025 census
The 2025 census shows people aged 65 and over now make up 29.4% of Japan's population, up 0.9 points since 2020.
Final results of Japan's 2025 census reveal that seniors constitute a record 29.4% of the total population, a rise of 0.9 percentage points from the 2020 count. The overall population, including foreign residents, fell by 3.17 million to 122,972,528, marking a 2.5% decline. This is the third consecutive census showing a drop in total residents. The Tokyo metropolitan area now holds 30.1% of the nation's people, crossing the 30% mark for the first time.
Why it matters
An aging population and shrinking total numbers pose major economic and social policy challenges for Japan.
In this story
elderly population2025 censusJapan demographicspopulation declineTokyo metropolitan areaaging society
