Japan's population records largest drop since 1950

TOKYO: Japan's population totaled 125.93 million as of January 1, 2022, representing the largest drop in the overall number and by percentage since comparable data were recorded in 1950, the latest government data revealed on Wednesday.

As deaths exceeded births and Covid-19 border controls restrict the entry of foreigners, Japan's overall population fell to 125,927,902, down by 726,342 or 0.57 per cent from the previous year, Xinhua news agency reported citing the figures issued by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.

According to the Ministry, the number of Japanese nationals reduced by 619,140 to 123,223,561 in 2021, with births at a record low of around 810,000, outstripped by a record high around 1.44 million deaths.

The number of resident foreigners in Japan fell by 107,202 to 2,704,341, marking a drop for the second consecutive year, due to tighter border restrictions amid the pandemic.

The Ministry data also showed that the ratio of people aged 15 to 64, regarded as the working population, stood at a record low 58.99 per cent of the total population while people aged 65 and older accounted for a record high of 29 per cent.