Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Japan
Japan: Number of people living in urban and rural areas was 113.62 million people in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
113.62 million people
Change on year
down 0.4%
World rank
7th
of 236 countries
All-time high
116.45 million people
in 2012
All-time low
31.98 million people
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Japan, 1950–2025
Source: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of people living in urban and rural areas in Japan is 113.62 million people, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 0.4% on the previous year and down 2.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people living in urban and rural areas in Japan peaked at 116.45 million people in 2012 and was at its lowest, 31.98 million people, in 1950.
Japan ranks 7th of 236 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 76 years of available data.
Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Japan, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 31.98 million people | — |
| 1951 | 34.75 million people | +8.7% |
| 1952 | 39.01 million people | +12.3% |
| 1953 | 44.01 million people | +12.8% |
| 1954 | 48.84 million people | +11.0% |
| 1955 | 52.51 million people | +7.5% |
| 1956 | 54.79 million people | +4.4% |
| 1957 | 56.56 million people | +3.2% |
| 1958 | 58.09 million people | +2.7% |
| 1959 | 59.54 million people | +2.5% |
| 1960 | 60.98 million people | +2.4% |
| 1961 | 62.48 million people | +2.5% |
| 1962 | 63.98 million people | +2.4% |
| 1963 | 65.46 million people | +2.3% |
| 1964 | 66.95 million people | +2.3% |
| 1965 | 68.50 million people | +2.3% |
| 1966 | 70.01 million people | +2.2% |
| 1967 | 71.59 million people | +2.2% |
| 1968 | 73.30 million people | +2.4% |
| 1969 | 74.99 million people | +2.3% |
| 1970 | 76.69 million people | +2.3% |
| 1971 | 78.49 million people | +2.4% |
| 1972 | 80.49 million people | +2.5% |
| 1973 | 82.55 million people | +2.6% |
| 1974 | 84.47 million people | +2.3% |
| 1975 | 85.96 million people | +1.8% |
| 1976 | 86.99 million people | +1.2% |
| 1977 | 87.88 million people | +1.0% |
| 1978 | 88.69 million people | +0.9% |
| 1979 | 89.45 million people | +0.9% |
| 1980 | 90.16 million people | +0.8% |
| 1981 | 90.73 million people | +0.6% |
| 1982 | 91.22 million people | +0.5% |
| 1983 | 91.71 million people | +0.5% |
| 1984 | 92.18 million people | +0.5% |
| 1985 | 92.67 million people | +0.5% |
| 1986 | 93.23 million people | +0.6% |
| 1987 | 93.82 million people | +0.6% |
| 1988 | 94.40 million people | +0.6% |
| 1989 | 94.92 million people | +0.6% |
| 1990 | 95.44 million people | +0.5% |
| 1991 | 95.98 million people | +0.6% |
| 1992 | 96.54 million people | +0.6% |
| 1993 | 97.06 million people | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 97.58 million people | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 98.05 million people | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 98.43 million people | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 98.78 million people | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 99.12 million people | +0.3% |
| 1999 | 99.47 million people | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 99.86 million people | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 100.74 million people | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 102.69 million people | +1.9% |
| 2003 | 105.23 million people | +2.5% |
| 2004 | 107.84 million people | +2.5% |
| 2005 | 109.95 million people | +2.0% |
| 2006 | 111.55 million people | +1.4% |
| 2007 | 113.06 million people | +1.4% |
| 2008 | 114.43 million people | +1.2% |
| 2009 | 115.52 million people | +0.9% |
| 2010 | 116.17 million people | +0.6% |
| 2011 | 116.39 million people | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 116.45 million people | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 116.42 million people | -0.0% |
| 2014 | 116.34 million people | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 116.27 million people | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 116.29 million people | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 116.33 million people | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 116.30 million people | -0.0% |
| 2019 | 116.20 million people | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 115.92 million people | -0.2% |
| 2021 | 115.47 million people | -0.4% |
| 2022 | 114.97 million people | -0.4% |
| 2023 | 114.52 million people | -0.4% |
| 2024 | 114.09 million people | -0.4% |
| 2025 | 113.62 million people | -0.4% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 113.62 million people is above the median for high income countries, which is 2.22 million people, 51.1× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Japan's 113.62 million people is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 722,007 people, 157.4× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 48.01 million people | 31.98 million people | 59.54 million people | 10 |
| 1960s | 67.82 million people | 60.98 million people | 74.99 million people | 10 |
| 1970s | 84.16 million people | 76.69 million people | 89.45 million people | 10 |
| 1980s | 92.50 million people | 90.16 million people | 94.92 million people | 10 |
| 1990s | 97.65 million people | 95.44 million people | 99.47 million people | 10 |
| 2000s | 108.09 million people | 99.86 million people | 115.52 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 116.32 million people | 116.17 million people | 116.45 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 114.77 million people | 113.62 million people | 115.92 million people | 6 |
Countries ranked near Japan
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 number of people living in urban and rural areas in Japan?
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Japan was 113.62 million people in 2025, according to United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of people living in urban and rural areas recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 116.45 million people in 2012.
- What is the lowest number of people living in urban and rural areas recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 31.98 million people in 1950.
- How does Japan rank for number of people living in urban and rural areas?
- Japan ranks 7th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is number of people living in urban and rural areas rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of people living in urban and rural areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of people living in urban areas, based on each country's national definition.