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Like Australia and New Zealand, Japan conducts a national census once every five years. The most recent census was carried out in October 2025, and the results relating to population, age structure, nationality, and other key demographic indicators were released at the end of September 2026.<\/p>\n
In this article, I would like to provide an overview of the results and explore the differences between Japan\u2019s census and those conducted in Australia and New Zealand.<\/p>\n
1) Continued Population Decline and Greater Concentration in Tokyo <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n As of 1 October 2025, Japan\u2019s total population stood at approximately 122.97 million, marking the third consecutive census to record a population decline, following those in 2015 and 2020.<\/p>\n Looking across Japan\u2019s 47 prefectures (regional administrative divisions comparable to states or provinces), Tokyo was the only one to record population growth, while the remaining 46 experienced a decline.<\/p>\n Tokyo, the country\u2019s most populous prefecture, had approximately 14.24 million residents, accounting for 11.6% of Japan\u2019s total population. The Greater Tokyo Area, consisting of Tokyo and the neighbouring prefectures of Kanagawa, Saitama and Chiba, was home to 30.1% of the nation\u2019s population, reflecting the concentration of people in and around the capital.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 2) Japan\u2019s Population Continues to Age as Births Decline<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n In terms of the population\u2019s age structure, the proportion of people aged 65 and over increased from 28.5% in 2020 to 29.4% in 2025. In contrast, the proportion of children under the age of 15 declined from 11.9% to 10.9% over the same period.<\/p>\n Compared with the other G7 countries as well as China and South Korea, Japan had the highest proportion of people aged 65 and over. It also recorded the second-lowest proportion of children under 15, after South Korea (10.2%). These figures once again reaffirm that Japan\u2019s ageing population and low birth rates are particularly pronounced compared with those of other countries.<\/p>\n 3) Record-High Foreign Resident Population<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Looking at Japan\u2019s population by nationality, Japanese citizens accounted for 96.9% of the total population, while foreign residents made up the remaining 3.1%.<\/p>\n Although the proportion of foreign residents remained low compared with Australia and New Zealand, their number reached a record high of approximately 3.84 million in the 2025 census, an increase of around 1.09 million from 2020.<\/p>\n This represented an average annual growth rate of 6.93%. These findings suggest that foreign residents are becoming an increasingly significant part of Japan\u2019s population as the country\u2019s overall population continues to decline.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 4) Summary<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Unlike Australia and New Zealand, where populations continue to grow, Japan entered a period of population decline after peaking in 2008.<\/p>\n As one of the first countries to experience population decline, low birth rates and an ageing population on a significant scale, Japan must address a growing number of challenges that other countries may encounter in the future. These include a shrinking workforce, rising social security costs, staff shortages in healthcare and aged-care, and difficulties maintaining public transport and essential services in regional areas.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The census questionnaires used in Japan, Australia and New Zealand share many similarities. All three countries collect information on name, age, sex at birth (or simply sex in Japan), household composition, marital status, current and previous places of residence, employment status, occupation and workplace location. Together, these questions provide insight into the composition of each country\u2019s population, migration patterns and labour market characteristics.<\/p>\n At the same time, there are notable differences. In Australia and New Zealand, census questionnaires include questions about country of birth, religion, languages spoken at home, gender identity and sexual orientation. Australia also collects information on parents\u2019 countries of birth, ancestry and English-language proficiency, while New Zealand gathers information on ethnicity. These topics are not covered by Japan\u2019s census.<\/p>\n These differences highlight a distinct emphasis in each country\u2019s census approach. While Japan\u2019s census primarily seeks to understand population structure and patterns of residence and employment, including who people are, where they live, how they move and how they work, the censuses conducted in Australia and New Zealand also place emphasis on capturing the cultural, linguistic and ethnic diversity of their populations.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n A census is more than a statistical exercise for counting people. By capturing information on population change, age structure, place of residence and cultural background, it serves as a mirror reflecting broader social change.<\/p>\n Although each country conducts a census, what it asks and the information it collects vary according to their respective priorities and policy needs. By comparing not only census results but also the questions that are asked, we can gain insights into each country\u2019s current circumstances as well as the kind of society it seeks to build and the challenges it considers most important for the future.<\/p>\n Like Australia and New Zealand, Japan conducts a national census once every five years. The most recent census was carried out in October 2025, and the results relating to population, age structure, nationality, and other key demographic indicators were released at the end of September 2026.<\/p>\n In this article, I would like to provide an overview of the results and explore the differences between Japan\u2019s census and those conducted in Australia and New Zealand.<\/p>\n Overview of Japan\u2019s 2025 Census Results<\/strong><\/p>\n 1) Continued Population Decline and Greater Concentration in Tokyo <\/strong><\/p>\n As of 1 October 2025, Japan\u2019s total population stood at approximately 122.97 million, marking the third consecutive census to record a population decline, following those in 2015 and 2020.<\/p>\n Looking across Japan\u2019s 47 prefectures (regional administrative divisions comparable to states or provinces), Tokyo was the only one to record population growth, while the remaining 46 experienced a decline.<\/p>\n Tokyo, the country\u2019s most populous prefecture, had approximately 14.24 million residents, accounting for 11.6% of Japan\u2019s total population. The Greater Tokyo Area, consisting of Tokyo and the neighbouring prefectures of Kanagawa, Saitama and Chiba, was home to 30.1% of the nation\u2019s population, reflecting the concentration of people in and around the capital.<\/p>\n 2) Japan\u2019s Population Continues to Age as Births Decline<\/strong><\/p>\n In terms of the population\u2019s age structure, the proportion of people aged 65 and over increased from 28.5% in 2020 to 29.4% in 2025. In contrast, the proportion of children under the age of 15 declined from 11.9% to 10.9% over the same period.<\/p>\n Compared with the other G7 countries as well as China and South Korea, Japan had the highest proportion of people aged 65 and over. It also recorded the second-lowest proportion of children under 15, after South Korea (10.2%). These figures once again reaffirm that Japan\u2019s ageing population and low birth rates are particularly pronounced compared with those of other countries.<\/p>\n 3) Record-High Foreign Resident Population<\/strong><\/p>\n Looking at Japan\u2019s population by nationality, Japanese citizens accounted for 96.9% of the total population, while foreign residents made up the remaining 3.1%.<\/p>\n Although the proportion of foreign residents remained low compared with Australia and New Zealand, their number reached a record high of approximately 3.84 million in the 2025 census, an increase of around 1.09 million from 2020.<\/p>\n This represented an average annual growth rate of 6.93%. These findings suggest that foreign residents are becoming an increasingly significant part of Japan\u2019s population as the country\u2019s overall population continues to decline.<\/p>\n Summary<\/strong><\/p>\n Unlike Australia and New Zealand, where populations continue to grow, Japan entered a period of population decline after peaking in 2008.<\/p>\n As one of the first countries to experience population decline, low birth rates and an ageing population on a significant scale, Japan must address a growing number of challenges that other countries may encounter in the future. These include a shrinking workforce, rising social security costs, staff shortages in healthcare and aged-care, and difficulties maintaining public transport and essential services in regional areas.<\/p>\n What Census Questions Reveal About a Nation\u2019s Priorities<\/strong><\/p>\n The census questionnaires used in Japan, Australia and New Zealand share many similarities. All three countries collect information on name, age, sex at birth (or simply sex in Japan), household composition, marital status, current and previous places of residence, employment status, occupation and workplace location. Together, these questions provide insight into the composition of each country\u2019s population, migration patterns and labour market characteristics.<\/p>\n At the same time, there are notable differences. In Australia and New Zealand, census questionnaires include questions about country of birth, religion, languages spoken at home, gender identity and sexual orientation. Australia also collects information on parents\u2019 countries of birth, ancestry and English-language proficiency, while New Zealand gathers information on ethnicity. These topics are not covered by Japan\u2019s census.<\/p>\n These differences highlight a distinct emphasis in each country\u2019s census approach. While Japan\u2019s census primarily seeks to understand population structure and patterns of residence and employment, including who people are, where they live, how they move and how they work, the censuses conducted in Australia and New Zealand also place emphasis on capturing the cultural, linguistic and ethnic diversity of their populations.<\/p>\n The Census: Reflecting the Society of Today and Tomorrow<\/strong><\/p>\n A census is more than a statistical exercise for counting people. By capturing information on population change, age structure, place of residence and cultural background, it serves as a mirror reflecting broader social change.<\/p>\n Although each country conducts a census, what it asks and the information it collects vary according to their respective priorities and policy needs. By comparing not only census results but also the questions that are asked, we can gain insights into each country\u2019s current circumstances as well as the kind of society it seeks to build and the challenges it considers most important for the future.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u203b\u30b3\u30e9\u30e0\u306f\u82f1\u8a9e\u7248\u306e\u307f\u3067\u3059\u3002 Like Australia and New Zealand, Japan conducts a national census once e…<\/span><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.jlgc.org.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Screenshot-2026-11-13-113559.png\")
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<\/p>\nWhat Census Questions Reveal About a Nation\u2019s Priorities<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
The Census: Reflecting the Society of Today and Tomorrow<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
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