News On Japan

Japan's population fell by 868,177 over five years, 2020 census shows

Jun 25 (Japan Times) - Japan’s population, including foreign nationals, fell by 868,177 over the past five years, results of the national census survey conducted last year showed.

The population as of Oct. 1 stood at 126,226,568, the internal affairs ministry said in a preliminary report Friday.

The figure has continued to slide since the 2015 survey, which showed the country’s first population decrease since the census began in 1920.

But the rate of decline was smaller, at 0.7%, than the drop of 0.8% five years ago, reflecting an increase in the number of foreign nationals and the temporary return of many Japanese citizens from abroad due to the pandemic.

The population sank in 38 prefectures and rose in nine prefectures.

Tokyo and the neighboring prefectures of Saitama, Chiba and Kanagawa accounted for about 30% of the country’s population, highlighting the increasing concentration of people in the Tokyo metropolitan area. The area’s combined population increased by some 800,000 people to about 36.93 million.

The number of men stood at 61,360,014, while the number of women came to 64,866,554.

According to United Nations statistics, Japan became the 11th most populous country in the world, ceding last year’s 10th place to Mexico.

Source: ANNnewsCH

News On Japan
POPULAR NEWS

A deepening labor shortage in Japan’s construction industry is beginning to impact homebuyers, with some experiencing delays of more than six months before construction can even begin due to a lack of available carpenters.

From April 1st, a new regulation took effect across Osaka Prefecture requiring all restaurants with a customer seating area larger than 30 square meters to become entirely smoke-free indoors—unless they install a designated smoking room. Establishments violating the rule face fines of up to 50,000 yen, while customers may be fined up to 30,000 yen.

The Imperial Household Agency launched an official YouTube channel on April 1st to introduce the activities of Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako.

Japan's new fiscal year began on April 1st, with companies across the country holding entrance ceremonies to welcome new employees.

The Japanese government has released an updated damage forecast for a potential Nankai Trough megaquake, estimating that up to 298,000 people could die in the worst-case scenario. This projection reflects a slight reduction from the previous estimate of 332,000 deaths made 13 years ago.

MEDIA CHANNELS
         

MORE Society NEWS

In response to a sharp rise in women soliciting prostitution on the streets of Osaka's Kita entertainment district, police and local authorities implemented countermeasures last year. But how effective have those measures been?

As Japan marks 80 years since the end of World War II, Angelita Oshiro, an 86-year-old second-generation Japanese woman living in Davao on the southern Philippine island of Mindanao, was finally granted the restoration of her long-awaited Japanese citizenship on April 2nd.

Cherry blossoms are now in full bloom. On April 2nd, crowds gathered along the Okawa River in Osaka to enjoy the hanami season. While spring typically lifts spirits, this year’s celebrations come with a pinch.While moods may be rising, so are prices.

A fire broke out on the morning of April 2nd at a farm in Kamishihoro, a town in the Tokachi region of Hokkaido, killing approximately 20 cattle housed in a barn.

A special unit dedicated to investigating "lone offenders"—individuals who commit acts of terrorism without belonging to any specific organization—has been established for the first time in Japan within the Public Security Bureau of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department.

The Imperial Household Agency launched an official YouTube channel on April 1st to introduce the activities of Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako.

Downtown, the popular comedy duo, has stepped down as official ambassadors for the Osaka-Kansai Expo, according to an announcement by the Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition.

A tour bus carrying over 20 foreign tourists collided with a van inside the Tokiwa Tunnel on the Dōō Expressway on March 31st, sending several people to the hospital.