Japan's population to shrink nearly a third by 2060, government estimate says
Japan's population will continue to drop as the graying nation's aging accelerates and the birthrate stays low.
January 30th, 2012
12:07 AM ET

Japan's population to shrink nearly a third by 2060, government estimate says

Japan's population will shrink by a staggering 30% by 2060, according to a new estimate by the country's government.

The current population will shrink from the current level of 128 million to 86.74 million, as the graying nation's aging accelerates and the birthrate continues to stay low.

The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare's research organization released the data on Monday. The group, called the National Institute of Population and Social Security Research, provides a 50-year demographic forecast every five years.

The institute also projects that people age 65 and older will account for 39.9% of the total population in 2060. In 2010, the elderly accounted for 23% of the population.

The country's average life expectancy dipped in 2011 after the March earthquake and tsunami, which killed approximately 19,000 people.

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soundoff (11 Responses)
  1. Jj

    Interesting but I had no idea that Japan had a population that large!

    January 30, 2012 at 12:34 am | Report abuse |
  2. Booby Trap

    Sad news for a country that has enough problems already. Prayers to them in hopes of a miracle to solve their crisis.

    January 30, 2012 at 12:53 am | Report abuse |
  3. Britton

    You can now blame part of it to the Fukishima nuclear disaster fall out now.

    January 30, 2012 at 5:53 am | Report abuse |
  4. Matt Thompson

    If only the rest rest of the world would follow suit. Then humanity might have a chance of surviving, along with our biodiversity.

    January 30, 2012 at 8:36 am | Report abuse |
  5. Icloner

    Who cares

    January 30, 2012 at 8:39 am | Report abuse |
  6. banasy©

    This isn't unexpected, given what Japan has gone through since the earthquake/tsunami last year.
    That, coupled with lowering birth rates, can go a long way in helping &#74apan's overpopulation...they are a really crowded little country.
    Perhaps nature can start to renew itself...aside from the radiation factor, of course....

    January 30, 2012 at 8:43 am | Report abuse |
  7. banasy©

    I hate when I mess up the coding....

    January 30, 2012 at 8:45 am | Report abuse |
  8. fernace

    @Matt Thompson, I'm gonna pull a "banasy" & say WORD!! PS. Hey banasy! 🙂

    January 30, 2012 at 10:17 am | Report abuse |
  9. BOMBO ©

    The vast majority of industrialized countries have birth rates <2 per woman. It's only a matter of time before the world's population begins to contract. Assuming, of course, that the whole world becomes fully industrialized. Big assumption, I know.

    January 30, 2012 at 10:52 am | Report abuse |
  10. BOMBO ©

    SARCASM FONT> They are not listening to the Word of God. Be fruitful and multiply. <SARCASM FONT

    January 30, 2012 at 10:54 am | Report abuse |
  11. DC

    Maybe people will finally now see that greedy corporatism and bureaucratic governance do NOT hold the answers to a nation's prosperity. In fact, they may very well lead a country to the brink of extinction...

    January 30, 2012 at 5:57 pm | Report abuse |
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