Japan's population fell by half a million in 2022

Japan's population fell by half a million in 2022

Japan’s population declined for the 12th straight year as deaths rise and the birth rate continues to decline, according to government data released Wednesday.

The Japanese population stood at 124.49 million, in 2022, which represents a decrease of 556,000, compared to the previous year, according to the figures.

That figure represents both the natural change in the population, that is, deaths and births, and the flow of people in and out of the country.

Last year’s natural change was the largest on record, with a drop of 731,000 people, cushioned by an influx of people entering Japan, which provided an increase of 175,000, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told a conference. press this Wednesday.

“It is essential to take strong measures to address the declining birth rate, which is a major factor in population decline, as one of the highest priority issues to be addressed,” Matsuno said.

Japan has one of the lowest birth rates in the world, as well as one of the highest life expectancies; in 2020, almost one in 1,500 people in Japan was 100 years old or older, according to government data.