Population of cities towns and villages in Japan

Japan: Population of cities towns and villages was 11.21 million in 2020. ▬ Flat

Latest (2020)
11.21 million
World rank
32nd
of 229 countries
All-time high
12.14 million
in 1985
All-time low
11.21 million
in 2020
Years of data
15
1950–2020

Population of cities towns and villages in Japan, 1950–2020

02.5M5.0M7.5M10.0M12.5M1950198520201950: 11.9M1955: 11.8M1960: 11.7M1965: 11.7M1970: 11.7M1975: 11.7M1980: 12.0M1985: 12.1M1990: 12.1M1995: 11.7M2000: 11.6M2005: 11.4M2010: 11.3M2015: 11.3M2020: 11.2M

Source: Our World in Data.

Analysis

Japan recorded 11.21 million for population of cities towns and villages in 2020. That is the lowest value across all 15 years on record.

The figure is down 1.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, population of cities towns and villages in Japan peaked at 12.14 million in 1985 and was at its lowest, 11.21 million, in 2020.

That places Japan 32nd out of 229 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top quarter.

Population of cities towns and villages in Japan, year by year

Annual values for Population of cities towns and villages in Japan, 1950 to 2020.
Year Value Change
1950 11.90 million
1955 11.76 million -1.2%
1960 11.71 million -0.4%
1965 11.71 million -0.0%
1970 11.69 million -0.1%
1975 11.68 million -0.1%
1980 11.95 million +2.3%
1985 12.14 million +1.6%
1990 12.08 million -0.4%
1995 11.67 million -3.4%
2000 11.62 million -0.4%
2005 11.44 million -1.6%
2010 11.33 million -0.9%
2015 11.27 million -0.5%
2020 11.21 million -0.6%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1950s 11.83 million 11.76 million 11.90 million 2
1960s 11.71 million 11.71 million 11.71 million 2
1970s 11.69 million 11.68 million 11.69 million 2
1980s 12.04 million 11.95 million 12.14 million 2
1990s 11.88 million 11.67 million 12.08 million 2
2000s 11.53 million 11.44 million 11.62 million 2
2010s 11.30 million 11.27 million 11.33 million 2
2020s 11.21 million 11.21 million 11.21 million 1

Countries ranked near Japan

  1. 29 Sudan 11.80 million compare
  2. 30 Ukraine 11.60 million compare
  3. 31 Mali 11.49 million compare
  4. 33 Burkina Faso 10.87 million compare
  5. 34 Zimbabwe 10.31 million compare
  6. 35 Spain 10.19 million compare

See the full ranking of 236 places →

More population data for Japan

All data for Japan →

Frequently asked questions

What is population of cities towns and villages in Japan?
Population of cities towns and villages in Japan was 11.21 million in 2020, according to Our World in Data.
What is the highest population of cities towns and villages recorded in Japan?
The highest recorded value was 12.14 million in 1985.
What is the lowest population of cities towns and villages recorded in Japan?
The lowest recorded value was 11.21 million in 2020.
How does Japan rank for population of cities towns and villages?
Japan ranks 32nd out of 229 countries with data for 2020.
Is population of cities towns and villages rising or falling in Japan?
Over the last ten years it is down 1.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this Japan data come from?
The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Population of cities towns and villages. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Population of cities towns and villages in Japan. Statizoid, drawing on Our World in Data. Retrieved 28 August 2026, from https://population.statizoid.com/stat/population-of-cities-towns-and-villages/japan/

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About this data

Indicator
Population of cities towns and villages
Source
Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
236 places, 3,540 data points, 1950–2020
Last refreshed