Population in largest city in Japan
Japan: Population in largest city was 37.04 million in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
37.04 million
Change on year
down 0.2%
World rank
1st
of 153 countries
All-time high
37.47 million
in 2018
All-time low
16.68 million
in 1960
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Population in largest city in Japan, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN).
Analysis
In 2025, population in largest city in Japan stood at 37.04 million.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.2% on the previous year and down 0.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in largest city in Japan peaked at 37.47 million in 2018 and was at its lowest, 16.68 million, in 1960.
That places Japan 1st out of 153 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Population in largest city in Japan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 16.68 million | — |
| 1961 | 17.34 million | +4.0% |
| 1962 | 18.04 million | +4.0% |
| 1963 | 18.76 million | +4.0% |
| 1964 | 19.51 million | +4.0% |
| 1965 | 20.28 million | +4.0% |
| 1966 | 20.90 million | +3.1% |
| 1967 | 21.48 million | +2.7% |
| 1968 | 22.07 million | +2.8% |
| 1969 | 22.67 million | +2.7% |
| 1970 | 23.30 million | +2.7% |
| 1971 | 23.93 million | +2.7% |
| 1972 | 24.57 million | +2.7% |
| 1973 | 25.24 million | +2.7% |
| 1974 | 25.92 million | +2.7% |
| 1975 | 26.61 million | +2.7% |
| 1976 | 27.06 million | +1.7% |
| 1977 | 27.43 million | +1.3% |
| 1978 | 27.80 million | +1.3% |
| 1979 | 28.17 million | +1.3% |
| 1980 | 28.55 million | +1.3% |
| 1981 | 28.90 million | +1.2% |
| 1982 | 29.24 million | +1.2% |
| 1983 | 29.59 million | +1.2% |
| 1984 | 29.95 million | +1.2% |
| 1985 | 30.30 million | +1.2% |
| 1986 | 30.72 million | +1.4% |
| 1987 | 31.16 million | +1.4% |
| 1988 | 31.61 million | +1.4% |
| 1989 | 32.07 million | +1.4% |
| 1990 | 32.53 million | +1.4% |
| 1991 | 32.79 million | +0.8% |
| 1992 | 32.99 million | +0.6% |
| 1993 | 33.19 million | +0.6% |
| 1994 | 33.39 million | +0.6% |
| 1995 | 33.59 million | +0.6% |
| 1996 | 33.76 million | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 33.93 million | +0.5% |
| 1998 | 34.11 million | +0.5% |
| 1999 | 34.28 million | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 34.45 million | +0.5% |
| 2001 | 34.67 million | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 34.90 million | +0.7% |
| 2003 | 35.14 million | +0.7% |
| 2004 | 35.38 million | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 35.62 million | +0.7% |
| 2006 | 35.87 million | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 36.11 million | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 36.36 million | +0.7% |
| 2009 | 36.61 million | +0.7% |
| 2010 | 36.86 million | +0.7% |
| 2011 | 36.98 million | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 37.05 million | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 37.12 million | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 37.19 million | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 37.26 million | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 37.33 million | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 37.40 million | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 37.47 million | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 37.44 million | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 37.39 million | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 37.34 million | -0.1% |
| 2022 | 37.27 million | -0.2% |
| 2023 | 37.19 million | -0.2% |
| 2024 | 37.12 million | -0.2% |
| 2025 | 37.04 million | -0.2% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 37.04 million is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.80 million, 20.6× the median. (49 countries reporting)
- Japan's 37.04 million is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 6.16 million, 6.0× the median. (19 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 19.77 million | 16.68 million | 22.67 million | 10 |
| 1970s | 26.00 million | 23.30 million | 28.17 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 30.21 million | 28.55 million | 32.07 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 33.46 million | 32.53 million | 34.28 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 35.51 million | 34.45 million | 36.61 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 37.21 million | 36.86 million | 37.47 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 37.23 million | 37.04 million | 37.39 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near Japan
More urban development data for Japan
- Population in the largest city 32.5% (2025)
- Population density 341.55 people per sq. km of land area (2023)
- PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure 11.45 micrograms per cubic meter (2023)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per capita 0.6561 units per person (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 80.94 million (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual -0.222 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per unit 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square 222.95 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Crude steelmaking capacity 113.6 Tonnes (2025)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 23 - Ecological 1,808 Hectares (2020)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population in largest city in Japan?
- Population in largest city in Japan was 37.04 million in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest population in largest city recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 37.47 million in 2018.
- What is the lowest population in largest city recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.68 million in 1960.
- How does Japan rank for population in largest city?
- Japan ranks 1st out of 153 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population in largest city rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN), published as part of Population in largest city. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Population in largest city is the urban population living in the country's largest metropolitan area.