Share of population living in the capital city in Japan
Japan: Share of population living in the capital city was 26.7% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Share of population living in the capital city in Japan, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Japan recorded 26.7% for share of population living in the capital city in 2020. That is the highest value across all 15 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 5.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in the capital city in Japan peaked at 26.7% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 14.5%, in 1950.
Japan ranks 41st of 170 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Share of population living in the capital city in Japan, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 14.5% | — |
| 1955 | 15.7% | +8.1% |
| 1960 | 17.4% | +10.8% |
| 1965 | 19.2% | +10.4% |
| 1970 | 20.3% | +5.9% |
| 1975 | 21.4% | +5.4% |
| 1980 | 21.9% | +2.2% |
| 1985 | 22.5% | +2.9% |
| 1990 | 23.2% | +2.9% |
| 1995 | 23.3% | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 23.9% | +2.6% |
| 2005 | 24.5% | +2.7% |
| 2010 | 25.4% | +3.6% |
| 2015 | 26.0% | +2.4% |
| 2020 | 26.7% | +2.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 15.1% | 14.5% | 15.7% | 2 |
| 1960s | 18.3% | 17.4% | 19.2% | 2 |
| 1970s | 20.9% | 20.3% | 21.4% | 2 |
| 1980s | 22.2% | 21.9% | 22.5% | 2 |
| 1990s | 23.2% | 23.2% | 23.3% | 2 |
| 2000s | 24.2% | 23.9% | 24.5% | 2 |
| 2010s | 25.7% | 25.4% | 26.0% | 2 |
| 2020s | 26.7% | 26.7% | 26.7% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Japan
- 38 Albania 29.5% compare
- 39 Latvia 29.0% compare
- 40 Guinea-Bissau 28.7% compare
- 42 Togo 25.9% compare
- 43 El Salvador 25.6% compare
- 44 Timor-Leste 25.0% compare
More population data for Japan
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.5507 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run 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 regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.4984 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.5% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 2.83 million people (2100)
- Population density 210.83 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -0.5% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.2372 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population -0.5891 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in the capital city in Japan?
- Share of population living in the capital city in Japan was 26.7% in 2020, according to European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in the capital city recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 26.7% in 2020.
- What is the lowest share of population living in the capital city recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.5% in 1950.
- How does Japan rank for share of population living in the capital city?
- Japan ranks 41st out of 170 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of population living in the capital city rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in the capital city. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Percentage of the total population living in the country's capital city. City boundaries are defined using a consistent global approach based on satellite imagery and population data.