Japan's population has fallen by three million in the past five years. This is the largest drop since records began in 1920. Japan's government released figures for its 2025 census. This demographic survey is carried out every five years. The latest one reveals that the number of residents in October was around 123 million. This was a drop of just over 3 million from 2020. This is a fall of 2.5 per cent. The census is the third in a row to show a decrease. Japan's government confirmed that population decline is advancing. It vowed to take "comprehensive measures".

The government said a big reason for the decline was historically low birth rates. In 2025, there were just over 700,000 births. This compared to 2.5 million yearly births in the postwar baby boom. Many governments have introduced measures to encourage couples to have babies. These include expanded child allowances, more parental leave, and subsidized early years education. They have had little success. Japan is one of the world's oldest societies. Its greying population is putting a lot of strain on healthcare systems, pensions, and the labour force.