The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications released the latest demographic statistics based on basic resident registration as of January 1, 2025 (Reiwa 7), announced on August 6, 2025. This statistical report serves as fundamental data for policy planning and academic research, providing comprehensive insights into Japan's population changes and regional demographics.
Statistical Structure and Data Categories
The released statistics comprehensively analyze population and household numbers recorded in the national basic resident registration system, including comparative data from the previous year. The announcement consists of three main components: Material 1 provides a summary version highlighting key statistical findings, Material 2 contains detailed statistical data, and reference materials include prefecture-specific and municipal-level population and household data along with age-group demographic data in multiple Excel formats.
The statistical data is categorized into three groups: total population, Japanese residents, and foreign residents. Each category provides prefecture-level and municipal-level data, enabling detailed analysis of population changes and foreign resident trends from national to local levels. Age-group data is similarly classified by total, Japanese, and foreign populations, facilitating multifaceted analysis of aging progression and demographic structural changes.
Population Dynamics Analysis
The statistics also compile population dynamics for Reiwa 6 (2024), analyzing population change factors from both natural dynamics (births, deaths) and social dynamics (immigration, emigration) perspectives. These comprehensive datasets examine birth rates, mortality rates, internal migration patterns, and international migration trends, providing detailed insights into demographic transformation mechanisms.
The foreign resident demographics receive particular attention, reflecting Japan's ongoing internationalization trends. This detailed analysis capability has become increasingly important as fundamental data for policy development toward realizing multicultural coexistence society, addressing contemporary challenges in international community integration.
Data Accessibility and Utilization
Detailed statistical results are also published on e-Stat, the government's comprehensive statistical portal, enabling time-series analysis combined with past compilation results. This accessibility ensures continuous monitoring of Japan's demographic trends over extended periods. The release was managed by the Resident Registration Division of the Local Administration Bureau, with support from Assistant Manager Irabe, Section Chief Tezuka, and Staff Member Makimura.
This basic resident registration statistics, conducted annually as a statutory survey distinct from the national census, is positioned as crucial statistics for continuously monitoring Japan's demographic dynamics. The data serves as essential foundation material for addressing critical policy issues including regional revitalization, declining birthrate and aging society countermeasures, and foreign resident policies.
The statistics provide municipal-level granularity across Japan's administrative divisions, enabling precise identification of regional demographic variations, urban-rural population shifts, and localized aging patterns that inform targeted policy interventions and resource allocation decisions.