Japan’s elderly population makes up record 29%, highest among other nations

TOKYO - Japan’s population aged 65 or older accounted for a record 29.6 per cent of the total, the government estimated on Sept 20, with the proportion remaining the highest among countries with populations exceeding 40 million.The elderly population totalled a record 36.24 million – 15.71 million men and 20.54 million women – up 20,000 from a year earlier, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications said ahead of Japan’s Respect for the Aged Day on Sept 21.The ministry said in September 2025 that the elderly proportion stood at 29.4 per cent, which was also the highest among other countries. The proportion hit an all-time high for the third time, following 2022 and 2024.Among 39 countries with populations of 40 million or more, Japan was followed by Italy, where 25.6 per cent of the population was aged 65 or older, Germany at 24.2 per cent and France at 22.9 per cent. Those aged 75 or older accounted for 17.7 per cent of Japan’s population, the highest proportion among nine major countries, followed by Italy at 13.3 per cent.Japan’s elderly population is expected to rise to 39.45 million, or 36.3 per cent of the total, in 2045 as the 1971-74 second baby boom generation ages into the category, according to the National Institute of Population and Social Security Research. KYODO NEWS