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Germany vs Japan: population pyramids compared

Japan is about 1.5 times as large as Germany, but size is only part of the story. Compare the two age structures on one percentage scale for 2026 and 2050, with every indicator side by side.

Estimate or projection?

UN estimates run through 2023; figures from 2024 onward are medium-scenario projections.

Germany and Japan in 2026

Germany population pyramid

2026 · Share of total by five-year age group and sex

Medium projection
Germany population pyramid for 2026: males on the left and females on the right Male share Female share 100+ males: 3,531 (0.0%) 100+ females: 16,727 (0.0%) 100+ 95–99 males: 49,495 (0.1%) 95–99 females: 138,663 (0.2%) 95–99 90–94 males: 282,832 (0.3%) 90–94 females: 561,500 (0.7%) 90–94 85–89 males: 913,739 (1.1%) 85–89 females: 1,438,953 (1.7%) 85–89 80–84 males: 1,178,305 (1.4%) 80–84 females: 1,585,905 (1.9%) 80–84 75–79 males: 1,669,015 (2.0%) 75–79 females: 2,036,290 (2.4%) 75–79 70–74 males: 2,167,320 (2.6%) 70–74 females: 2,495,422 (3.0%) 70–74 65–69 males: 2,778,794 (3.3%) 65–69 females: 2,960,477 (3.5%) 65–69 60–64 males: 3,353,756 (4.0%) 60–64 females: 3,411,641 (4.1%) 60–64 55–59 males: 3,199,064 (3.8%) 55–59 females: 3,201,084 (3.8%) 55–59 50–54 males: 2,513,063 (3.0%) 50–54 females: 2,513,146 (3.0%) 50–54 45–49 males: 2,590,776 (3.1%) 45–49 females: 2,574,345 (3.1%) 45–49 40–44 males: 2,733,293 (3.3%) 40–44 females: 2,646,651 (3.2%) 40–44 35–39 males: 2,892,805 (3.5%) 35–39 females: 2,721,525 (3.3%) 35–39 30–34 males: 2,542,408 (3.0%) 30–34 females: 2,350,023 (2.8%) 30–34 25–29 males: 2,389,617 (2.9%) 25–29 females: 2,176,611 (2.6%) 25–29 20–24 males: 2,106,379 (2.5%) 20–24 females: 1,981,678 (2.4%) 20–24 15–19 males: 1,992,957 (2.4%) 15–19 females: 1,884,320 (2.3%) 15–19 10–14 males: 2,015,118 (2.4%) 10–14 females: 1,908,872 (2.3%) 10–14 5–9 males: 2,078,939 (2.5%) 5–9 females: 1,974,075 (2.4%) 5–9 0–4 males: 1,855,807 (2.2%) 0–4 females: 1,759,337 (2.1%) 0–4 10%5% Age 5%10%

Japan population pyramid

2026 · Share of total by five-year age group and sex

Medium projection
Japan population pyramid for 2026: males on the left and females on the right Male share Female share 100+ males: 18,413 (0.0%) 100+ females: 107,594 (0.1%) 100+ 95–99 males: 153,296 (0.1%) 95–99 females: 550,745 (0.4%) 95–99 90–94 males: 682,809 (0.6%) 90–94 females: 1,585,819 (1.3%) 90–94 85–89 males: 1,627,377 (1.3%) 85–89 females: 2,678,119 (2.2%) 85–89 80–84 males: 2,574,414 (2.1%) 80–84 females: 3,459,285 (2.8%) 80–84 75–79 males: 4,024,903 (3.3%) 75–79 females: 4,785,560 (3.9%) 75–79 70–74 males: 3,605,001 (2.9%) 70–74 females: 3,892,897 (3.2%) 70–74 65–69 males: 3,575,323 (2.9%) 65–69 females: 3,647,469 (3.0%) 65–69 60–64 males: 3,877,719 (3.2%) 60–64 females: 3,828,838 (3.1%) 60–64 55–59 males: 4,495,243 (3.7%) 55–59 females: 4,412,053 (3.6%) 55–59 50–54 males: 4,934,051 (4.0%) 50–54 females: 4,866,305 (4.0%) 50–54 45–49 males: 4,098,257 (3.3%) 45–49 females: 4,031,182 (3.3%) 45–49 40–44 males: 3,604,791 (2.9%) 40–44 females: 3,523,816 (2.9%) 40–44 35–39 males: 3,217,041 (2.6%) 35–39 females: 3,100,776 (2.5%) 35–39 30–34 males: 3,062,044 (2.5%) 30–34 females: 2,942,385 (2.4%) 30–34 25–29 males: 3,133,635 (2.6%) 25–29 females: 3,011,361 (2.5%) 25–29 20–24 males: 3,147,954 (2.6%) 20–24 females: 3,003,501 (2.5%) 20–24 15–19 males: 2,897,193 (2.4%) 15–19 females: 2,745,887 (2.2%) 15–19 10–14 males: 2,662,610 (2.2%) 10–14 females: 2,521,039 (2.1%) 10–14 5–9 males: 2,301,492 (1.9%) 5–9 females: 2,191,856 (1.8%) 5–9 0–4 males: 1,968,258 (1.6%) 0–4 females: 1,879,422 (1.5%) 0–4 10%5% Age 5%10%

Key differences between Germany and Japan

Age. Japan is the older population, with a median age of 50.2 years against 45.7 in Germany — a gap of 4.5 years. Germany has the larger share of children (13.9% under 15 versus 11.0%), while Japan has the larger share aged 65 and over (30.2% versus 24.2%).

Births and survival. Germany’s fertility rate of 1.46 is below the replacement level, and Japan’s 1.23 is below it. Life expectancy at birth is 85.1 years in Japan and 81.9 in Germany.

Dependency. The total age dependency ratio is 61.6 in Germany (22.4 children and 39.2 older people per 100 aged 15–64) and 70.2 in Japan (18.8 and 51.4). Similar totals can hide very different mixes of young and old.

Outlook. Between 2026 and 2050, the UN medium scenario has Germany’s population declines by 6% and Japan’s declines by 14%. These are scenario results, not forecasts; how projections work explains the assumptions.

Germany vs Japan: indicators side by side

IndicatorGermanyJapan
Population, 202683,644,258122,427,731
Median age45.7 years50.2 years
Under age 1513.9%11.0%
Aged 15–6461.9%58.8%
Aged 65+24.2%30.2%
Age dependency ratio61.670.2
Fertility rate1.461.23
Life expectancy at birth81.9 years85.1 years
Annual growth-0.2%-0.6%
Males per 100 females97.695.1
Population, 205078,294,613105,123,167
Change, 2026–2050-6.4%-14.1%
Population, 210070,899,86376,845,989
Peak year20242009
Global population rank#19#12

2026, 2050, and 2100 values are UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium-scenario projections.

How the two pyramids could look in 2050

The same scale is kept for the projected charts, so a narrowing base or widening top can be compared directly with the 2026 shapes above.

Germany population pyramid

2050 · Share of total by five-year age group and sex

Medium projection
Germany population pyramid for 2050: males on the left and females on the right Male share Female share 100+ males: 13,361 (0.0%) 100+ females: 30,763 (0.0%) 100+ 95–99 males: 136,868 (0.2%) 95–99 females: 260,315 (0.3%) 95–99 90–94 males: 628,931 (0.8%) 90–94 females: 954,623 (1.2%) 90–94 85–89 males: 1,527,955 (2.0%) 85–89 females: 1,990,029 (2.5%) 85–89 80–84 males: 2,129,318 (2.7%) 80–84 females: 2,520,754 (3.2%) 80–84 75–79 males: 1,982,045 (2.5%) 75–79 females: 2,231,661 (2.9%) 75–79 70–74 males: 2,118,374 (2.7%) 70–74 females: 2,285,227 (2.9%) 70–74 65–69 males: 2,414,803 (3.1%) 65–69 females: 2,485,520 (3.2%) 65–69 60–64 males: 2,670,443 (3.4%) 60–64 females: 2,609,758 (3.3%) 60–64 55–59 males: 2,466,111 (3.1%) 55–59 females: 2,337,872 (3.0%) 55–59 50–54 males: 2,308,354 (2.9%) 50–54 females: 2,129,648 (2.7%) 50–54 45–49 males: 2,107,320 (2.7%) 45–49 females: 2,003,876 (2.6%) 45–49 40–44 males: 2,215,577 (2.8%) 40–44 females: 2,127,035 (2.7%) 40–44 35–39 males: 2,291,597 (2.9%) 35–39 females: 2,200,269 (2.8%) 35–39 30–34 males: 2,443,021 (3.1%) 30–34 females: 2,347,366 (3.0%) 30–34 25–29 males: 2,310,377 (3.0%) 25–29 females: 2,213,754 (2.8%) 25–29 20–24 males: 2,071,260 (2.6%) 20–24 females: 1,978,227 (2.5%) 20–24 15–19 males: 1,780,700 (2.3%) 15–19 females: 1,694,348 (2.2%) 15–19 10–14 males: 1,729,179 (2.2%) 10–14 females: 1,642,139 (2.1%) 10–14 5–9 males: 1,759,166 (2.2%) 5–9 females: 1,668,067 (2.1%) 5–9 0–4 males: 1,787,187 (2.3%) 0–4 females: 1,691,412 (2.2%) 0–4 10%5% Age 5%10%

Japan population pyramid

2050 · Share of total by five-year age group and sex

Medium projection
Japan population pyramid for 2050: males on the left and females on the right Male share Female share 100+ males: 79,858 (0.1%) 100+ females: 342,129 (0.3%) 100+ 95–99 males: 383,414 (0.4%) 95–99 females: 1,043,047 (1.0%) 95–99 90–94 males: 1,055,492 (1.0%) 90–94 females: 1,963,489 (1.9%) 90–94 85–89 males: 2,020,391 (1.9%) 85–89 females: 2,868,114 (2.7%) 85–89 80–84 males: 3,005,939 (2.9%) 80–84 females: 3,643,200 (3.5%) 80–84 75–79 males: 4,011,797 (3.8%) 75–79 females: 4,519,449 (4.3%) 75–79 70–74 males: 3,701,172 (3.5%) 70–74 females: 3,965,595 (3.8%) 70–74 65–69 males: 3,348,020 (3.2%) 65–69 females: 3,450,423 (3.3%) 65–69 60–64 males: 3,064,753 (2.9%) 60–64 females: 3,048,097 (2.9%) 60–64 55–59 males: 2,857,753 (2.7%) 55–59 females: 2,798,814 (2.7%) 55–59 50–54 males: 2,856,128 (2.7%) 50–54 females: 2,782,633 (2.6%) 50–54 45–49 males: 2,996,718 (2.9%) 45–49 females: 2,905,363 (2.8%) 45–49 40–44 males: 3,064,838 (2.9%) 40–44 females: 2,994,515 (2.8%) 40–44 35–39 males: 2,956,861 (2.8%) 35–39 females: 2,893,658 (2.8%) 35–39 30–34 males: 2,708,505 (2.6%) 30–34 females: 2,669,806 (2.5%) 30–34 25–29 males: 2,409,483 (2.3%) 25–29 females: 2,393,620 (2.3%) 25–29 20–24 males: 2,248,930 (2.1%) 20–24 females: 2,217,760 (2.1%) 20–24 15–19 males: 2,046,842 (1.9%) 15–19 females: 1,983,560 (1.9%) 15–19 10–14 males: 2,051,023 (2.0%) 10–14 females: 1,976,018 (1.9%) 10–14 5–9 males: 2,038,550 (1.9%) 5–9 females: 1,957,742 (1.9%) 5–9 0–4 males: 1,942,271 (1.8%) 0–4 females: 1,857,395 (1.8%) 0–4 10%5% Age 5%10%

What shapes Germany’s pyramid

Germany’s pyramid is top-heavy around the 1960s baby boom at ages 55–64, cut sharply below by the 1970s birth slump and widened at 35–39 by migrants. Read the full Germany analysis.

What shapes Japan’s pyramid

Japan’s pyramid shows two baby booms, at ages 75–79 and 50–54, but no third: the expected echo never arrived, leaving one of the world’s narrowest bases. Read the full Japan analysis.

Explore each country in depth

Questions about Germany and Japan

Which population is older, Germany or Japan?

Japan is older: its projected 2026 median age is 50.2 years, compared with 45.7 in Germany.

Which has a higher fertility rate, Germany or Japan?

Germany has the higher total fertility rate in 2026: 1.46 births per woman, against 1.23 in Japan.

Will Germany or Japan have more people in 2050?

Under the UN medium scenario, Japan is projected to be larger in 2050, with 105.1M people against 78.3M.