Japan’s Statistics Bureau published the definitive basic population and household results of the 2025 census on 29 September. The census counted 122,972,528 people in the country on its reference date, 1 October 2025. That was 3,173,571 fewer people, a 2.5% decline, than in the 2020 census. The five-year decrease equates to an average annual rate of 0.51%. The census provides population composition by sex and geography. Earlier preliminary counts offered an initial population and household total; this definitive basic tabulation supplies broader detail.

The results counted 63,200,436 women and 59,772,092 men. Tokyo was the most populous prefecture, with 14.237 million residents, or 11.6% of the national total. The Tokyo region, comprising Tokyo, Kanagawa, Saitama and Chiba, had 36.975 million people, 30.1% of the country’s population. Tokyo’s population increased 1.3% over five years, while the other 46 prefectures recorded declines. At municipal level, population rose in 151 of 1,719 municipalities and fell in 1,568. Census counts provide a benchmark for public administration and planning; unlike monthly estimates, they report the enumeration at a defined reference date.