Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) in Japan
Japan: Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) was -0.4% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Population growth in Japan, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in annual %.
Analysis
Japan recorded -0.4% for population growth in 2024.
That represents a change of up 10.6% on the previous year and down 228.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population growth in Japan peaked at 2.2% in 1971 and was at its lowest, -0.5%, in 2023.
That places Japan 196th out of 215 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) in Japan, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 1.2% | — |
| 1971 | 2.2% | +90.5% |
| 1972 | 1.4% | -36.2% |
| 1973 | 1.4% | +0.5% |
| 1974 | 1.3% | -5.5% |
| 1975 | 1.3% | -4.3% |
| 1976 | 1.1% | -15.8% |
| 1977 | 1.0% | -9.7% |
| 1978 | 0.9% | -6.0% |
| 1979 | 0.8% | -7.0% |
| 1980 | 0.8% | -6.9% |
| 1981 | 0.7% | -7.6% |
| 1982 | 0.7% | -4.8% |
| 1983 | 0.7% | +0.3% |
| 1984 | 0.6% | -6.8% |
| 1985 | 0.6% | -3.5% |
| 1986 | 0.5% | -15.0% |
| 1987 | 0.5% | -9.5% |
| 1988 | 0.4% | -13.7% |
| 1989 | 0.4% | -3.9% |
| 1990 | 0.3% | -17.0% |
| 1991 | 0.4% | +18.4% |
| 1992 | 0.4% | -5.5% |
| 1993 | 0.3% | -12.7% |
| 1994 | 0.3% | -13.9% |
| 1995 | 0.2% | -16.0% |
| 1996 | 0.2% | -3.3% |
| 1997 | 0.2% | +5.0% |
| 1998 | 0.3% | +14.0% |
| 1999 | 0.2% | -32.8% |
| 2000 | 0.2% | -8.4% |
| 2001 | 0.2% | +44.0% |
| 2002 | 0.2% | -3.5% |
| 2003 | 0.2% | -8.0% |
| 2004 | 0.0% | -84.3% |
| 2005 | 0.0% | -72.1% |
| 2006 | 0.1% | +574.9% |
| 2007 | 0.1% | +81.3% |
| 2008 | 0.0% | -57.9% |
| 2009 | -0.0% | -125.8% |
| 2010 | 0.0% | -243.8% |
| 2011 | -0.2% | -1131.3% |
| 2012 | -0.2% | -13.8% |
| 2013 | -0.1% | -9.7% |
| 2014 | -0.1% | -8.0% |
| 2015 | -0.1% | -20.0% |
| 2016 | -0.1% | -51.8% |
| 2017 | -0.1% | +60.1% |
| 2018 | -0.1% | +55.0% |
| 2019 | -0.1% | +10.7% |
| 2020 | -0.3% | +109.4% |
| 2021 | -0.5% | +56.3% |
| 2022 | -0.4% | -3.5% |
| 2023 | -0.5% | +9.8% |
| 2024 | -0.4% | -10.6% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's -0.4% is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.5%. (85 countries reporting)
- Japan's -0.4% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.7%. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) in Japan changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | -1131.3% | 0.0% | -0.2% |
| 2006 | +574.9% | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| 2010 | +243.8% | -0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2009 | -125.8% | 0.0% | -0.0% |
| 2020 | -109.4% | -0.1% | -0.3% |
| 1971 | +90.5% | 1.2% | 2.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1.3% | 0.8% | 2.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.6% | 0.4% | 0.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.1% | -0.0% | 0.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | -0.1% | -0.2% | 0.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | -0.4% | -0.5% | -0.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Japan
More population data for Japan
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.4984 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -5.09 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.4984 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.5507 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 103,784 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population -0.5891 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.2372 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate -0.501 (2100)
- Population density 210.83 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 2.83 million (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population growth in Japan?
- Population growth in Japan was -0.4% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest population growth recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 2.2% in 1971.
- What is the lowest population growth recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.5% in 2023.
- How does Japan rank for population growth?
- Japan ranks 196th out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
- Is population growth rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 228.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Population growth (annual %). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 55 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release