Japan's population of Japanese nationals residing in the country fell below 120 million on January 1, 2026, reaching approximately 119.74 million for the first time since 1984, according to government data published in late July 2026 [1, 2, 3, 4]. The citizen population has decreased for 17 consecutive years since peaking in 2009, with the most recent annual drop—between 2025 and 2026—totaling about 917,000 people. This represents the largest single-year decline recorded since population tracking began in 1968 [3, 4, 5].

The ongoing population shrinkage coincides with a historic low in Japan's birthrate in 2025. The year saw approximately 670,000 births, while deaths rose to nearly 1.59 million, widening the natural population decrease [1, 3, 6]. Japan’s total fertility rate also fell to 1.14 in 2025, marking the tenth straight year of decline [1, 6].

When including foreign residents, Japan’s total population stood between 123.77 million and 123.8 million as of the start of 2026—a decrease of about 560,000 from the previous year [1, 4]. However, the number of foreign residents has risen for the fourth consecutive year, reaching a record high of roughly 4.03 million by mid-2026. Prefectures with the fastest growth in foreign residents include Hokkaido (14.89%), Okinawa (14.36%), and Oita (13.90%) [3, 4, 7, 5].

Among all 47 prefectures, only Tokyo saw a slight increase (about 0.09%) in its population of Japanese nationals; all others posted declines [3, 4]. To address labor shortages worsened by an aging and shrinking population, Japan continues gradually expanding access for foreign workers [3, 4, 7, 5]. Meanwhile, the government announced a new immigration plan on July 31, 2026, emphasizing tighter enforcement amid the rising foreign resident population and related labor challenges [8].

The Tokyo metropolitan government launched an AI-powered matchmaking app called TOKYO Enmusubi in September 2024 to encourage marriage. By June 30, 2026, the app had 16,000 registered users. It contributed to 265 marriages and 760 couples entering serious relationships. A user identified as "Turtle" shared that after several blind dates, she met her current husband in late August 2025 as a last attempt before turning 40 [1, 6].

The next scheduled population update is expected with data from the 2026 fiscal year, which will further clarify demographic trends facing Japan.