As of Jan. 1, the population of Japanese residents in Japan stood at 119.74 million, down 0.76% from the previous year. | JOHAN BROOKS
AFP-JIJI, JIJI
Jul 30, 2026
The number of Japanese people living in Japan has fallen below 120 million for the first time in 42 years, government data showed Wednesday, as the nation confronts a low birth rate and an aging society.
As of Jan. 1, the population of Japanese residents in Japan stood at 119.74 million, down 0.76% from the previous year, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.
The population of Japanese residents has been declining for 17 consecutive years since peaking in 2009, according to the survey, which began in 1968.
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