Japan population pyramid 2026
122,427,731 people in 2026 (projected). 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.
- 2026 population
- 122.4Mrank 12 of 237
- Median age
- 50.2 yearsoldest rank 4
- Fertility rate
- 1.23births per woman · below replacement
- Structure
- Older30.2% age 65+
Japan population pyramid
2026 · Share of total by five-year age group and sex
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The UN series provides historical estimates through 2023. Figures from 2024 onward—including 2026—are medium-scenario projections, not counts or predictions guaranteed to occur.
Japan age distribution in 2026
Children under 15 account for 11.0% of the population, while 30.2% are aged 65 or older. The remaining 58.8% are in the conventional working-age range of 15–64. On these shares, the site classifies Japan’s age structure as older; the guide to constrictive population pyramids explains what that shape implies.
The total age dependency ratio is 70.2: about 70 people under 15 or 65+ for every 100 people aged 15–64 (18.8 children and 51.4 older people). This is an age-balance indicator, not a literal count of economic dependants per worker.
What shapes Japan’s population pyramid
Two booms and a missing third
Japan’s postwar baby boom was short and intense, concentrated in 1947–49. In 2026 that generation is aged 77–79, and the 75–79 band is clearly wider than both the 70–74 band below it and the 80–84 band above, where the drop also reflects low births in the last war years and higher mortality at older ages. Their children, the second boom of 1971–74, are now aged 52–55, which makes 50–54 the widest band in the whole pyramid.
A third boom was widely anticipated when the second-boom generation reached parenthood around the late 1990s and 2000s, but it never materialized: marriage was delayed, and fertility stayed far below replacement. The 20–29 bands show only the faintest ripple where that echo should be. Below them every band narrows, and ages 0–4 now hold less than 40% as many people as ages 50–54. Japanese births fell below 700,000 in 2024.
A notch hidden by five-year bands
In 1966, a hinoeuma (fire-horse) year in the traditional calendar, births fell by roughly a quarter as couples avoided a year associated with an inauspicious superstition about daughters. Those people turn 60 in 2026, but the dip is a single year inside the 60–64 band, so five-year aggregation smooths it away. Single-year data from the Statistics Bureau show it clearly; it is a reminder that five-year pyramids can hide sharp, short events.
An old, female-weighted top
With life expectancy above 85, Japan has one of the oldest populations in the world. Women outnumber men from the late sixties onward, and at ages 90–94 there are roughly two women for every man. Immigration has risen but remains small relative to population, so, unlike the United States or United Kingdom, migrants do little to widen the working-age bands. The Japan vs South Korea comparison shows a neighbour following the same path a generation later and faster, while Germany vs Japan contrasts two ageing pyramids with different migration histories.
Under the UN medium scenario Japan shrinks to about 105 million people by 2050, with a median age near 53 and the widest band at ages 75–79, as the Japan 2050 pyramid shows.
What to notice across the years
Distinctive cohorts and turning points
Comparing each five-year band with its neighbours picks out the cohorts that break a smooth slope. These irregularities usually record past surges or deficits in births, or migration concentrated at particular ages; the pattern alone does not identify which. The guide to baby booms and echo cohorts explains how to date and interpret them.
| Age band in 2026 | Born about | Feature | Versus neighbouring bands |
|---|---|---|---|
| 75–79 | 1947–1951 | Bulge (larger cohort) | +30% |
| 50–54 | 1972–1976 | Bulge (larger cohort) | +15% |
Deaths have exceeded births every year since 2005. People aged 65 and older came to outnumber children under 15 between 1995 and 2000.
Births, deaths, and migration
A pyramid changes in only three ways: births add to the base, deaths remove people at every age, and migration adds or removes people mainly in young adulthood. In 2026, Japan is projected to record 745,943 births (about one birth every 42 seconds) and 1,563,215 deaths, a natural decrease of 817,272. Net migration adds +128,619 people, ranking #71 in the net migration rate ranking.
Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates 24,281,393 births, 30,286,042 deaths, and cumulative net migration of +3,160,981. Over that period the balance of births and deaths moved the total more than migration did. See how migration shapes a pyramid and birth rate versus fertility rate. The medium scenario assumes net migration of +3,012,797 between 2026 and 2050.
Annual values 1950–2100; dashed lines after 2023 are the UN medium projection. The trend table below lists the values by decade.
Life expectancy and mortality
- Life expectancy, women
- 88.2 years60.9 in 1950
- Life expectancy, men
- 82.1 years57.6 in 1950
- Further years at 65
- 22.8 yearsboth sexes
- Infant mortality
- 1.6per 1,000 births · 56 in 1950
- Under-five mortality
- 2.2per 1,000 births
- Mother’s mean age at birth
- 32.2 yearssex ratio at birth 105.0
Women in Japan are projected to live 6.1 years longer than men, which is why the female side of the pyramid widens relative to the other at older ages (see the life expectancy gap ranking). Infant mortality has fallen from 56 to 1.6 deaths per 1,000 live births since 1950, ranking #230 of 237 in the infant mortality ranking (highest first). A mean age at childbearing of 32.2 years sets the spacing between generations, and so how far apart echo cohorts sit in the pyramid.
Median age, fertility rate, and global ranks for Japan
The median age of 50.2 years splits the population into two equal halves. A total fertility rate of 1.23 births per woman is below the replacement level of roughly 2.1, and life expectancy at birth is 85.1 years.
These ranks compare all 237 countries and areas in this dataset using the same 2026 UN medium projection. Ranks use the stored source precision, so displayed rounding can make adjacent values look identical; small differences should not be overinterpreted.
| Indicator | 2026 value | Global rank | Ranking direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 122,427,731 | #12 | Largest first |
| Median age | 50.2 years | #4 | Oldest first |
| Fertility rate | 1.23 | #215 | Highest first |
| Annual growth | -0.6% | #210 | Fastest first |
| Life expectancy | 85.1 years | #4 | Highest first |
| Population aged 65+ | 30.2% | #3 | Highest share first |
Largest age groups in Japan
The five largest cohorts identify where the 2026 population is concentrated. They can reflect past birth patterns, survival, and migration; the chart alone does not establish which cause dominates.
| Rank | Age group | Population | Share of total | Male / female |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 50–54 | 9,800,356 | 8.0% | 4.9M / 4.9M |
| 2 | 55–59 | 8,907,296 | 7.3% | 4.5M / 4.4M |
| 3 | 75–79 | 8,810,463 | 7.2% | 4M / 4.8M |
| 4 | 45–49 | 8,129,439 | 6.6% | 4.1M / 4M |
| 5 | 60–64 | 7,706,557 | 6.3% | 3.9M / 3.8M |
Sex ratio and the balance by age
In the 2026 projection, Japan has 59,661,824 males and 62,765,908 females. That is 95.1 males per 100 females, ranking #178 when the dataset is ordered from the highest male-to-female ratio to the lowest.
Males account for 48.7% of the population and females for 51.3%. There are 3,104,084 more females than males overall. Among people aged 65 and older, the ratio is 78.5 males per 100 females.
The overall balance can conceal large differences by age; how sex ratios change with age explains the usual pattern. The ratio reflects the male/female categories in the UN source and is not a measure of gender identity. Compare all profiles in the sex-ratio ranking.
At birth, 105.0 boys are projected to be born for every 100 girls in 2026, close to the biological norm of about 105 (compare the sex ratio at birth ranking). The ratio at birth sets the balance at the base of the pyramid; how it changes with age then depends on survival and migration.
How Japan has changed since 1950
The population has increased from 86,443,277 in 1950 to 122,427,731 in 2026, a change of 42%. Over the same span, median age moved from 21.3 to 50.2 years.
The under-15 share changed from 35.2% to 11.0%, while the share aged 65 and older changed from 4.9% to 30.2%. These shifts show why total population growth and age-structure change need to be read separately. See the Japan population pyramid in 1950 for the full starting shape.
How the population could change by 2050
Under the UN medium scenario, Japan’s population is projected to decline by about 14%, reaching 105,123,167 in 2050. The median age changes from 50.2 to 52.8 years.
The 65+ share is projected to rise by 7.3 percentage points to 37.5%. At the same time, the under-15 share is projected at 11.2%. The Japan population pyramid for 2050 shows the projected shape in detail. How UN projections work explains the assumptions behind these figures.
The annual UN series reaches its highest estimated population of 128,192,470 in 2009. Historical population totals are estimates rather than exact head counts. Compare timing across countries in the population peak ranking.
Population trend: 1950–2100
Mid-year population for every year. Estimates through 2023; dashed line shows the UN medium projection.
| Year | Population | Median age | Fertility | Life exp. | Births | Deaths | Net migration | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 86,443,277 | 21.3 | 3.62 | 59.3 | 2,461,534 | 943,057 | −24,997 | +1.7% |
| 1960 | 96,399,754 | 24.7 | 1.98 | 67.7 | 1,671,547 | 740,747 | −150,371 | +0.8% |
| 1970 | 106,712,368 | 28.3 | 2.04 | 72.0 | 1,952,254 | 743,914 | +33,731 | +1.2% |
| 1980 | 118,358,756 | 31.7 | 1.74 | 76.1 | 1,596,738 | 741,742 | −92,314 | +0.6% |
| 1990 | 123,399,765 | 36.9 | 1.51 | 79.0 | 1,176,898 | 830,980 | +124,582 | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 127,027,789 | 40.8 | 1.35 | 81.2 | 1,197,065 | 994,661 | +23,468 | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 128,185,275 | 44.2 | 1.36 | 82.9 | 1,070,600 | 1,235,559 | +131,860 | -0.0% |
| 2020 | 126,304,543 | 47.7 | 1.30 | 84.7 | 840,688 | 1,423,305 | +42,001 | -0.4% |
| 2023 | 124,370,947 | 49.0 | 1.21 | 84.7 | 749,884 | 1,524,430 | +175,003 | -0.5% |
| 2024* | 123,753,041 | 49.4 | 1.22 | 84.9 | 750,570 | 1,540,205 | +153,357 | -0.5% |
| 2026* | 122,427,731 | 50.2 | 1.23 | 85.1 | 745,943 | 1,563,215 | +128,619 | -0.6% |
| 2030* | 119,584,121 | 51.5 | 1.26 | 85.7 | 751,702 | 1,604,954 | +123,993 | -0.6% |
| 2040* | 112,158,303 | 53.1 | 1.31 | 87.1 | 789,213 | 1,642,093 | +118,186 | -0.7% |
| 2050* | 105,123,167 | 52.8 | 1.35 | 88.4 | 727,944 | 1,518,397 | +119,363 | -0.6% |
| 2060* | 98,103,219 | 53.1 | 1.38 | 89.7 | 640,333 | 1,489,477 | +101,711 | -0.8% |
| 2070* | 90,611,771 | 53.6 | 1.42 | 90.9 | 649,007 | 1,453,731 | +89,503 | -0.8% |
| 2080* | 84,729,966 | 52.7 | 1.44 | 92.1 | 637,007 | 1,199,160 | +91,321 | -0.6% |
| 2090* | 80,634,393 | 52.4 | 1.46 | 93.2 | 581,864 | 1,043,653 | +84,292 | -0.5% |
| 2100* | 76,845,989 | 53.0 | 1.47 | 94.4 | 558,209 | 1,016,916 | +73,710 | -0.5% |
* 2024 onward is the UN medium projection. Fertility is births per woman; life expectancy is years at birth; births, deaths, and net migration are counts for that calendar year.
Download every year, 1950–2100 (CSV)
2026 population by age and sex
The table provides the counts behind the chart. Age groups are five-year bands, with everyone aged 100 or older combined.
| Age group | Male | Female | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–4 | 1,968,258 | 1,879,422 | 3,847,680 | 3.1% |
| 5–9 | 2,301,492 | 2,191,856 | 4,493,348 | 3.7% |
| 10–14 | 2,662,610 | 2,521,039 | 5,183,649 | 4.2% |
| 15–19 | 2,897,193 | 2,745,887 | 5,643,080 | 4.6% |
| 20–24 | 3,147,954 | 3,003,501 | 6,151,455 | 5.0% |
| 25–29 | 3,133,635 | 3,011,361 | 6,144,996 | 5.0% |
| 30–34 | 3,062,044 | 2,942,385 | 6,004,429 | 4.9% |
| 35–39 | 3,217,041 | 3,100,776 | 6,317,817 | 5.2% |
| 40–44 | 3,604,791 | 3,523,816 | 7,128,607 | 5.8% |
| 45–49 | 4,098,257 | 4,031,182 | 8,129,439 | 6.6% |
| 50–54 | 4,934,051 | 4,866,305 | 9,800,356 | 8.0% |
| 55–59 | 4,495,243 | 4,412,053 | 8,907,296 | 7.3% |
| 60–64 | 3,877,719 | 3,828,838 | 7,706,557 | 6.3% |
| 65–69 | 3,575,323 | 3,647,469 | 7,222,792 | 5.9% |
| 70–74 | 3,605,001 | 3,892,897 | 7,497,898 | 6.1% |
| 75–79 | 4,024,903 | 4,785,560 | 8,810,463 | 7.2% |
| 80–84 | 2,574,414 | 3,459,285 | 6,033,699 | 4.9% |
| 85–89 | 1,627,377 | 2,678,119 | 4,305,496 | 3.5% |
| 90–94 | 682,809 | 1,585,819 | 2,268,628 | 1.9% |
| 95–99 | 153,296 | 550,745 | 704,041 | 0.6% |
| 100+ | 18,413 | 107,594 | 126,007 | 0.1% |
Countries with the most similar age structure
These profiles have the 2026 age distributions closest to Japan’s, measured by the total difference in the share of the population in each five-year band. Similar shapes can arise from very different histories, so the match is a starting point for comparison, not an explanation.
- Italy95% overlap · median age 48.6
- Portugal94% overlap · median age 47.2
- Greece94% overlap · median age 47.1
- San Marino92% overlap · median age 49.1
- Puerto Rico92% overlap · median age 46.2
- Isle of Man92% overlap · median age 46.3
Compare Japan with other countries
Side-by-side pages put two pyramids on the same percentage scale, with a full indicator table and the projected change to 2050.
To calculate school-age, working-age, or older groups with other boundaries, use the age-group calculator for Japan.
Use this chart in your work
Charts and tables may be reused with attribution. Please link to this page and credit the United Nations as the data source.
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APA
World Population Pyramid. (2026, October 19). Japan Population Pyramid 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/japan/
MLA
“Japan Population Pyramid 2026.” World Population Pyramid, 19 Oct. 2026, worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/japan/.
Chicago
World Population Pyramid. “Japan Population Pyramid 2026.” Last modified October 19, 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/japan/.
Underlying data: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2024). World Population Prospects 2024.
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Japan in 2026?
Under the UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium scenario, Japan's population in 2026 is projected at 122,427,731.
What is the median age in Japan?
The projected median age in Japan in 2026 is 50.2 years: half the population is younger and half is older.
What is the fertility rate in Japan?
The projected total fertility rate in 2026 is 1.23 births per woman, below the replacement level of about 2.1 in low-mortality populations.
Is Japan's population projected to grow?
Between 2026 and 2050, the UN medium scenario indicates the population will decline by about 14%, from 122.4M to 105.1M.
What share of Japan is aged 65 or older?
In 2026, 30.2% of the projected population is aged 65 or older. By 2050, the medium scenario places the share at 37.5%.
How many babies are born in Japan each year?
The UN medium scenario projects 745,943 births and 1,563,215 deaths in 2026, about one birth every 42 seconds. Deaths exceed births by 817,272.
What is life expectancy in Japan for men and women?
Life expectancy at birth in 2026 is projected at 88.2 years for women and 82.1 years for men, a gap of 6.1 years in favour of women.
Does Japan have more immigrants or emigrants?
Japan is projected to gain about 128,619 more people through migration than it loses in 2026. Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates cumulative net migration of +3,160,981.
What is the sex ratio in Japan?
The projected 2026 population sex ratio is 95.1 males per 100 females. This all-age ratio is different from the sex ratio at birth and can vary substantially by age.
Sources and notes
- United Nations, DESA, Population Division: World Population Prospects 2024, medium scenario.
- Population values are mid-year figures. Source values published in thousands are converted to people; displayed figures may imply more precision than is appropriate for planning.
- Historical values through 2023 are estimates. Values from 2024 onward are projections.
- Calculations follow the site methodology.