Tokyo: Japan's population has decreased by 2.5 percent over the past five years. Japan's latest census shows the population has declined at its slowest rate in five years, falling by 2.5 percent. This is the rapid and severe decline since records began.

According to Thai News Agency, Japan's latest census, released today (May 29), reveals that the country's population has decreased by 3,096,575 people over the past five years. The rate of decline surged from 0.7 percent in the 2020 census to 2.5 percent this time, a three-fold increase. This is the largest five-year population drop since Japan began conducting censuses in 1920 and marks the third consecutive five-year decline.

As of the end of 2025, Japan's total population, including foreign residents, stood at 123,049,524. Of these, more than 30.1% chose to live densely in the Tokyo metropolitan area. This has led to a surge in "abandoned houses" (Akiya) in rural areas and smaller towns, and the closure of many schools due to a lack of students.

Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications stated that this severe population decline is primarily a result of natural declining trends, including the tenth consecutive year of decrease in the number of newborns in Japan, with only 705,809 births projected by 2025. Meanwhile, the death rate among the elderly continues to surpass the birth rate. Despite efforts by local and central governments to promote marriage and childbirth, such as subsidizing childcare expenses, providing subsidized maternity leave, and even launching dating apps, the results remain limited due to high living costs and the prevailing value of long working hours.