Aging Population in Japan Reaches Record High – Elderly Individuals to Reach 34.8% by 2040

Japan’s elderly population has reached an unprecedented 36.25 million people, with those aged 65 and older now making up almost one-third of the country’s total population, according to data released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications. The report highlighted that 29.3% of Japan’s population is now elderly, the highest proportion of any nation or region with over 100,000 residents.

The ministry’s breakdown revealed that out of the 36.25 million elderly individuals, approximately 20.53 million are women, and 15.72 million are men. In addition to the aging population, the data showed that 9.14 million elderly people were employed in 2022, making up one in seven workers in Japan.

This growing elderly demographic has intensified Japan’s ongoing demographic crisis, as a shrinking number of working-age individuals are expected to bear the rising healthcare and welfare costs associated with an aging society. Japan’s total population declined by 595,000 in the year leading up to October 1, marking the 13th consecutive year of population decrease.

Projections from the National Institute of Population and Social Security Research in Tokyo estimate that by 2040, elderly individuals will account for 34.8% of Japan’s population. Meanwhile, a report from the Recruit Works Institute warned that by the same year, Japan could face a shortfall of over 11 million workers due to its declining population.

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