Japan's population decline. The largest decline on record, the serious reality of the situation, was once again highlighted by the preliminary census results released on the 29th.

■ Yokohama City: First Population Decline in 78 Years Since the End of World War II

Looking at prefectures, only Tokyo and Okinawa prefectures saw population increases compared to the previous census five years ago; 45 prefectures experienced declines.

Kanagawa Prefecture saw its first decline since the end of the war, and Saitama and Chiba prefectures experienced their first declines since the census began in 1920—the first time in over 100 years of history.

Yokohama Chinatown, bustling with school trip groups and tourists, is currently experiencing a significant change.

Yokohama City, close to the city center and home to many tourist attractions,

Yokohama City's Asahi Ward, once a commuter town close to the city center with many houses built, saw its population decrease by approximately 5,500 people in the five years from 2020 to 2025.

Residents of Asahi Ward, Yokohama City:
"Whether it's buses or trains, it's all elderly people now. There are no young people."
"When I was a child, there were many children, and one school was added, but 30 years later it closed. Then there was only one school again."

■Japan's Population Declines by Approximately 3.1 Million in 5 Years…Decreased in Over 90% of Municipalities

Population decline is spreading throughout Japan.

According to the "National Census" released on the 29th, Japan's population as of October 2025 will be 123.05 million, a decrease of 3,097,000 from the survey five years ago. This is the largest decrease on record.

By prefecture, all 45 prefectures except Tokyo and Okinawa saw a decrease.

Furthermore, more than 90% of the 1,719 municipalities nationwide experienced a decrease, clearly showing population decline in rural areas.

Kitakyushu City saw the largest population decline. It became Kyushu's first "million-person city" in 1963, but for the first time since its establishment, its population has fallen below 900,000. As mentioned earlier, the record-breaking population decline is evident in the Kanto region, with Kanagawa Prefecture experiencing a decline for the first time since the end of World War II, and Saitama and Chiba Prefectures seeing a decline for the first time since the start of surveys in 1920.

Furthermore, it is pointed out that Tokyo's population decline is what awaits us next.

Masashi Kawai, Senior Policy Officer, Tokyo Foundation:
"Population decline cannot be stopped. I believe that, from a policy perspective, it is correct to work diligently on initiatives that allow for gradual change in a society that is based on the premise of population decline."

Accepting population decline and mitigating its impact—this is the most pressing issue for Japan today.

■90% of municipalities nationwide experience population decline; the worst is…

Maiko Hibi, Anchor:
Looking at municipalities nationwide, we found that 90% of them have experienced population decline.

The cities with particularly large population declines are as follows:

[Municipalities with Largest Population Declines] Census Preliminary Figures: Decline (2020-2025)
1st: Kitakyushu City - Approximately 35,000
2nd: Shizuoka City - Approximately 34,000
3rd: Kyoto City - Approximately 32,000
4th: Niigata City - Approximately 30,000
5th: Hiroshima City - Approximately 28,000
6th: Kobe City - Approximately 28,000
7th: Nagasaki City, Nagasaki Prefecture - Approximately 27,000
8th: Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture - Approximately 26,000
9th: Hamamatsu City - Approximately 25,000
10th: Asahikawa City, Hokkaido Prefecture - Approximately 24,000

Of the 10 cities, 7 are designated cities with a population of over 500,000.

Masatoshi Nanba, Anchor:
I was a little surprised to see Kobe City and Kyoto City among them.

In Hiroshima City, where I previously worked, measures are currently being taken, including by the prefecture, to address the issue of young people leaving the city. The challenge in various regions is how to address the situation while simultaneously preventing the decline in the number of young people.

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