People aged 65 and over in Japan

People aged 65 and over in Japan: 4.9% in 1950 and 29.6% in 2023, by UN estimates.

Latest, 2023: 29.6%
Since 1950: +24.7 percentage points
Rank, 2023: 3 of 229; counting from the highest
World, 2023: 10%
Projected, 2100: 37.4%; UN projection (medium variant)

Watch it change on the map

% of people · UN

Estimates, UNUN projection (medium variant)World

What the numbers say

The UN projection (medium variant) puts it at 37.4% in 2100.

Every year

% of people · UN

Year	Japan	World
2023	29.6	10
2022	29.4	9.8
2021	29.2	9.5
2020	28.9	9.3
2019	28.6	9.1
2018	28.4	8.9
2017	28	8.7
2016	27.5	8.5
2015	26.9	8.3
2014	26.2	8.1
2013	25.4	7.9
2012	24.5	7.8
2011	23.7	7.7
2010	23.1	7.6
2009	22.8	7.5
2008	22.3	7.5
2007	21.6	7.4
2006	21	7.3
2005	20.3	7.3
2004	19.6	7.2
2003	19.1	7.1
2002	18.6	7
2001	18	6.9
2000	17.4	6.8
1999	16.9	6.8
1998	16.3	6.7
1997	15.8	6.6
1996	15.2	6.5
1995	14.7	6.5
1994	14.2	6.4
1993	13.7	6.3
1992	13.2	6.2
1991	12.6	6.1
1990	12.2	6.1
1989	11.7	6
1988	11.3	6
1987	11	5.9
1986	10.6	5.9
1985	10.4	5.8
1984	10	5.8
1983	9.8	5.8
1982	9.5	5.8
1981	9.3	5.8
1980	9.1	5.8
1979	8.8	5.8
1978	8.6	5.7
1977	8.4	5.6
1976	8.1	5.6
1975	7.9	5.5
1974	7.7	5.5
1973	7.6	5.4
1972	7.4	5.4
1971	7.2	5.3
1970	7.1	5.3
1969	7	5.2
1968	6.8	5.2
1967	6.7	5.2
1966	6.5	5.1
1965	6.3	5.1
1964	6.2	5
1963	6.1	5
1962	6	5
1961	5.8	5
1960	5.7	5
1959	5.6	5
1958	5.5	5
1957	5.4	5
1956	5.4	5
1955	5.3	5
1954	5.2	5
1953	5.1	5
1952	5	5
1951	4.9	5
1950	4.9	5.1

UN projection (medium variant) · 2024–2100

Year	Japan	World
2024	29.8	10.2
2025	30	10.4
2026	30.2	10.6
2027	30.4	10.8
2028	30.6	11.1
2029	30.8	11.5
2030	31.1	11.8
2031	31.3	12
2032	31.5	12.3
2033	31.9	12.6
2034	32.3	12.8
2035	32.7	13.1
2036	33.2	13.4
2037	33.7	13.7
2038	34.3	13.9
2039	34.9	14.1
2040	35.4	14.3
2041	35.8	14.5
2042	36.1	14.7
2043	36.4	14.9
2044	36.6	15
2045	36.8	15.2
2046	37	15.4
2047	37.1	15.7
2048	37.2	15.9
2049	37.4	16.1
2050	37.5	16.3
2051	37.6	16.6
2052	37.6	16.8
2053	37.7	17.1
2054	37.7	17.3
2055	37.6	17.6
2056	37.6	17.8
2057	37.6	18
2058	37.5	18.2
2059	37.4	18.4
2060	37.4	18.5
2061	37.3	18.7
2062	37.2	18.8
2063	37.1	19
2064	37	19.1
2065	37	19.3
2066	36.9	19.4
2067	36.9	19.6
2068	36.8	19.7
2069	36.8	19.9
2070	36.8	20
2071	36.8	20.2
2072	36.9	20.3
2073	36.9	20.5
2074	37	20.7
2075	37.1	20.9
2076	37.2	21.1
2077	37.2	21.3
2078	37.3	21.5
2079	37.4	21.7
2080	37.5	21.9
2081	37.6	22.1
2082	37.7	22.3
2083	37.8	22.4
2084	37.8	22.6
2085	37.8	22.7
2086	37.8	22.8
2087	37.8	22.9
2088	37.7	22.9
2089	37.7	23
2090	37.6	23.1
2091	37.6	23.2
2092	37.5	23.3
2093	37.5	23.3
2094	37.5	23.4
2095	37.5	23.5
2096	37.4	23.6
2097	37.4	23.7
2098	37.4	23.7
2099	37.4	23.8
2100	37.4	23.9

Good to know

The share of the population aged 65 or older.
Source: UN DESA, World Population Prospects 2024.
The dashed line is the UN projection (medium variant), a scenario rather than a forecast.
Ranks count the 229 countries with a value in 2023, highest first.
The faint line is the world as a whole, as the same source counts it.

How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time

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