Population growth rate in Japan
Japan: Population growth rate was -0.5% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Population growth rate in Japan, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population growth rate in Japan is -0.5%, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 7.8% on the previous year and down 183.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population growth rate in Japan peaked at 1.7% in 1950 and was at its lowest, -0.6%, in 2021.
Japan ranks 212th of 236 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Population growth rate in Japan, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 1.7% | — |
| 1951 | 1.5% | -13.1% |
| 1952 | 1.4% | -6.6% |
| 1953 | 1.2% | -11.0% |
| 1954 | 1.1% | -8.9% |
| 1955 | 1.1% | -5.2% |
| 1956 | 0.9% | -16.8% |
| 1957 | 0.7% | -17.4% |
| 1958 | 0.8% | +10.8% |
| 1959 | 0.8% | -1.5% |
| 1960 | 0.8% | +0.1% |
| 1961 | 0.9% | +8.6% |
| 1962 | 0.9% | -0.1% |
| 1963 | 0.9% | +3.6% |
| 1964 | 1.0% | +5.8% |
| 1965 | 1.1% | +11.9% |
| 1966 | 0.8% | -22.2% |
| 1967 | 1.3% | +50.5% |
| 1968 | 1.2% | -5.5% |
| 1969 | 1.2% | -2.1% |
| 1970 | 1.2% | -0.3% |
| 1971 | 1.1% | -1.5% |
| 1972 | 1.2% | +6.8% |
| 1973 | 1.3% | +4.5% |
| 1974 | 1.2% | -4.0% |
| 1975 | 1.1% | -10.3% |
| 1976 | 1.0% | -11.5% |
| 1977 | 0.9% | -8.7% |
| 1978 | 0.8% | -5.6% |
| 1979 | 0.8% | -7.5% |
| 1980 | 0.6% | -17.0% |
| 1981 | 0.4% | -33.7% |
| 1982 | 0.4% | -6.8% |
| 1983 | 0.4% | -5.5% |
| 1984 | 0.3% | -7.2% |
| 1985 | 0.4% | +12.6% |
| 1986 | 0.5% | +24.4% |
| 1987 | 0.5% | -6.1% |
| 1988 | 0.4% | -9.8% |
| 1989 | 0.4% | -14.7% |
| 1990 | 0.4% | +7.9% |
| 1991 | 0.4% | +7.9% |
| 1992 | 0.4% | -6.6% |
| 1993 | 0.3% | -9.4% |
| 1994 | 0.4% | +5.5% |
| 1995 | 0.2% | -32.2% |
| 1996 | 0.2% | -6.4% |
| 1997 | 0.2% | -2.1% |
| 1998 | 0.2% | -3.5% |
| 1999 | 0.2% | -18.6% |
| 2000 | 0.2% | -0.6% |
| 2001 | 0.2% | +5.6% |
| 2002 | 0.2% | -12.2% |
| 2003 | 0.1% | -22.4% |
| 2004 | 0.1% | -23.4% |
| 2005 | 0.1% | -44.9% |
| 2006 | 0.1% | +42.6% |
| 2007 | 0.1% | -16.9% |
| 2008 | 0.0% | -34.4% |
| 2009 | 0.0% | -64.3% |
| 2010 | -0.0% | -273.3% |
| 2011 | -0.1% | +334.6% |
| 2012 | -0.1% | +32.7% |
| 2013 | -0.2% | +13.3% |
| 2014 | -0.2% | +18.2% |
| 2015 | -0.1% | -35.3% |
| 2016 | -0.1% | -59.2% |
| 2017 | -0.1% | +83.0% |
| 2018 | -0.1% | +45.4% |
| 2019 | -0.2% | +39.7% |
| 2020 | -0.4% | +117.3% |
| 2021 | -0.6% | +32.0% |
| 2022 | -0.5% | -7.4% |
| 2023 | -0.5% | -7.8% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's -0.5% is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.5%. (85 countries reporting)
- Japan's -0.5% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.7%. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Population growth rate 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 | -334.6% | -0.0% | -0.1% |
| 2010 | -273.3% | 0.0% | -0.0% |
| 2020 | -117.3% | -0.2% | -0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 1.1% | 0.7% | 1.7% | 10 |
| 1960s | 1.0% | 0.8% | 1.3% | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.1% | 0.8% | 1.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.6% | 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 | -0.5% | -0.6% | -0.4% | 4 |
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)
- World population growth -0.5% (2100)
- Population density 210.83 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 2.83 million people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population growth rate in Japan?
- Population growth rate in Japan was -0.5% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest population growth rate recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 1.7% in 1950.
- What is the lowest population growth rate recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.6% in 2021.
- How does Japan rank for population growth rate?
- Japan ranks 212th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is population growth rate rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 183.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Population growth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Annual rate at which the population is growing, expressed as a percentage.