Japanese register biggest population drop

By Esra Tekin

ISTANBUL (AA) - Japan witnessed the biggest drop in population last year, a trend seen across all 47 provinces of the country, according to official data released on Wednesday.

The population of Japanese people fell by 801,000 to 122.42 million in 2022, the Tokyo-based Kyodo News reported, citing data collected during a demographics survey conducted by the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry.

The report said that it was the first time since 1968 that the population decline was seen in all 47 provinces.

As of Jan. 1, 2023, Japan's overall population, including foreign residents, was reported to be 125.41 million, showing a decrease of approximately 511,000 from last year.

Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has called for implementing “unprecedented” measures to address the issue.

The population in Japan declined for the 14th consecutive year in 2022, with a record low of 772,000 births significantly exceeded by a record high of 1.57 million deaths.