Japan’s Median Age

What is the median age of Japan?

The median age in Japan was 48.7 in 2022. It is expected to be 49.1 in 2023.

Median age of Japan in the past

The median age in Japan in the past is as follows：

Median expected age in future years

The population of Japan was 84.11 million in 1950. It had been increasing for 50 years, reaching 126.93 million in 2000, but it peaked in 2004 and then began to decline. The population is estimated to be less than 90 million, or about 70%, by 2055. This is the first time in Japan’s history that it has faced such a situation.

Not only is the population changing but so is the generational structure. The median age of the entire population in Japan was about 29 in 1960 and about 34 in 1980. As of 2022, it was 48.7, indicating the rapid aging of the population.

Prefecture with the highest average age

No. 1 : Akita Prefecture – 53.0

No.2 : Kochi Prefecture – 51.3

No. 3: Aomori Prefecture – 50.9

Aomori and Akita Prefectures are located in northern Japan and are known for having the shortest average life expectancy. However, their average age is surprisingly high. This is because the percentage of children under the age of 19 is small and many young people migrate to other prefectures.

Prefecture with the highest average age

No. 1 :  Okinawa Prefecture  – 43.4

No 2 :  Tokyo Prefecture – 45.3

No.3:   Aichi Prefecture – 45.7

Okinawa Prefecture has the highest percentage of children (under 19 years old) in the population in Japan, exceeding 22%. The total fertility rate in Okinawa is 1.86, which is also the highest in Japan. In addition, Okinawa is the only prefecture in Japan where the number of births exceeds the number of deaths.

Many young people move to Tokyo to attend college or to work, which lowers the average age of Tokyo residents.