Number of children, working-age adults, and older people in Japan
Japan: Number of children, working-age adults, and older people was 36.65 million people in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
36.65 million people
Change on year
up 0.0%
World rank
4th
of 236 countries
All-time high
36.65 million people
in 2023
All-time low
4.23 million people
in 1950
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Number of children, working-age adults, and older people in Japan, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
Japan recorded 36.65 million people for number of children, working-age adults, and older people in 2023. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
That represents a change of up 13.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of children, working-age adults, and older people in Japan peaked at 36.65 million people in 2023 and was at its lowest, 4.23 million people, in 1950.
That places Japan 4th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of children, working-age adults, and older people in Japan, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 4.23 million people | — |
| 1951 | 4.33 million people | +2.4% |
| 1952 | 4.47 million people | +3.1% |
| 1953 | 4.61 million people | +3.1% |
| 1954 | 4.75 million people | +3.0% |
| 1955 | 4.88 million people | +2.8% |
| 1956 | 5.00 million people | +2.5% |
| 1957 | 5.10 million people | +2.1% |
| 1958 | 5.22 million people | +2.3% |
| 1959 | 5.38 million people | +3.0% |
| 1960 | 5.54 million people | +2.9% |
| 1961 | 5.68 million people | +2.7% |
| 1962 | 5.84 million people | +2.7% |
| 1963 | 6.00 million people | +2.8% |
| 1964 | 6.18 million people | +3.0% |
| 1965 | 6.39 million people | +3.3% |
| 1966 | 6.63 million people | +3.7% |
| 1967 | 6.89 million people | +3.9% |
| 1968 | 7.11 million people | +3.3% |
| 1969 | 7.33 million people | +3.1% |
| 1970 | 7.54 million people | +2.8% |
| 1971 | 7.77 million people | +3.1% |
| 1972 | 8.07 million people | +3.9% |
| 1973 | 8.37 million people | +3.7% |
| 1974 | 8.67 million people | +3.6% |
| 1975 | 8.98 million people | +3.5% |
| 1976 | 9.31 million people | +3.7% |
| 1977 | 9.66 million people | +3.8% |
| 1978 | 10.02 million people | +3.8% |
| 1979 | 10.39 million people | +3.6% |
| 1980 | 10.73 million people | +3.3% |
| 1981 | 11.07 million people | +3.1% |
| 1982 | 11.40 million people | +3.0% |
| 1983 | 11.71 million people | +2.7% |
| 1984 | 12.08 million people | +3.2% |
| 1985 | 12.50 million people | +3.5% |
| 1986 | 12.91 million people | +3.3% |
| 1987 | 13.36 million people | +3.5% |
| 1988 | 13.85 million people | +3.6% |
| 1989 | 14.39 million people | +3.9% |
| 1990 | 15.00 million people | +4.2% |
| 1991 | 15.66 million people | +4.4% |
| 1992 | 16.35 million people | +4.4% |
| 1993 | 17.03 million people | +4.2% |
| 1994 | 17.72 million people | +4.1% |
| 1995 | 18.42 million people | +3.9% |
| 1996 | 19.14 million people | +3.9% |
| 1997 | 19.90 million people | +3.9% |
| 1998 | 20.64 million people | +3.7% |
| 1999 | 21.37 million people | +3.6% |
| 2000 | 22.14 million people | +3.6% |
| 2001 | 22.93 million people | +3.6% |
| 2002 | 23.68 million people | +3.3% |
| 2003 | 24.35 million people | +2.8% |
| 2004 | 25.04 million people | +2.9% |
| 2005 | 25.90 million people | +3.4% |
| 2006 | 26.81 million people | +3.5% |
| 2007 | 27.66 million people | +3.2% |
| 2008 | 28.47 million people | +2.9% |
| 2009 | 29.13 million people | +2.3% |
| 2010 | 29.55 million people | +1.5% |
| 2011 | 30.24 million people | +2.3% |
| 2012 | 31.30 million people | +3.5% |
| 2013 | 32.39 million people | +3.5% |
| 2014 | 33.37 million people | +3.0% |
| 2015 | 34.20 million people | +2.5% |
| 2016 | 34.91 million people | +2.1% |
| 2017 | 35.47 million people | +1.6% |
| 2018 | 35.89 million people | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 36.17 million people | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 36.41 million people | +0.7% |
| 2021 | 36.60 million people | +0.5% |
| 2022 | 36.63 million people | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 36.65 million people | +0.0% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 36.65 million people is above the median for high income countries, which is 285,676 people, 128.3× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Japan's 36.65 million people is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 96,191 people, 381.0× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 4.80 million people | 4.23 million people | 5.38 million people | 10 |
| 1960s | 6.36 million people | 5.54 million people | 7.33 million people | 10 |
| 1970s | 8.88 million people | 7.54 million people | 10.39 million people | 10 |
| 1980s | 12.40 million people | 10.73 million people | 14.39 million people | 10 |
| 1990s | 18.12 million people | 15.00 million people | 21.37 million people | 10 |
| 2000s | 25.61 million people | 22.14 million people | 29.13 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 33.35 million people | 29.55 million people | 36.17 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 36.57 million people | 36.41 million people | 36.65 million people | 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 number of children, working-age adults, and older people in Japan?
- Number of children, working-age adults, and older people in Japan was 36.65 million people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of children, working-age adults, and older people recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 36.65 million people in 2023.
- What is the lowest number of children, working-age adults, and older people recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.23 million people in 1950.
- How does Japan rank for number of children, working-age adults, and older people?
- Japan ranks 4th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of children, working-age adults, and older people rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 13.1%. 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 Number of children, working-age adults, and older people. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total population, measured on 1 July of the year shown. This only includes people aged 65+.