The number of Japanese citizens falls below 120 million for the first time in 42 years, but the foreign community continues to grow.

Japan’s population has been shifting more than ever in recent years, with declining births becoming a growing concern for the country. However, new data shows that the population decline is being partially offset by a growing number of foreign residents, who are taking up residence in Japan in greater numbers than ever before.

According to population data released by Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications on 29 July, the number of Japanese citizens stood at 119,736,483 as of 1 January 2026, dropping below 120 million for the first time since 1984.

The figure represents a decrease of around 917,000 people compared with the previous year, marking the largest annual decline since the survey began in 1968.

The decline reflects Japan’s ongoing demographic challenges, with the country’s ageing population and falling birth rate continuing to accelerate population loss. Japan recorded around 1.59 million deaths, while the number of births fell to a record low of approximately 670,000.

▼ The number of Japanese citizens has now fallen for 17 consecutive years.

Looking at the figures by prefecture, 46 of Japan’s 47 prefectures saw their Japanese populations decline. Tokyo was the only exception, with numbers rising by 0.09 percent. The largest decrease was recorded in Akita Prefecture, which fell by 1.95 percent, followed by Aomori and Kochi, both of which declined by 1.70 percent.

As the number of Japanese citizens continues to decrease, the foreign resident population continues to grow. The number of foreign residents increased by around 354,000 people year-on-year to reach 4,031,159, the highest figure since the survey began tracking this data in 2013.

▼ Unlike the Japanese population, the foreign resident population increased in every prefecture across Japan, not just in Tokyo.

The contrasting trends highlight Japan’s shifting demographics, as a shrinking domestic population is increasingly being offset by a growing number of people from overseas living in the country. With Japan’s massive tourism boom leading to record numbers of overseas visitors in 2025, the foreign population looks likely to grow even further, even as the government moves to implement stricter new requirements for permanent resident applicants.

Sources: Sankei, Yomiuri Shimbun via Yahoo! News Japan 
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