Japan is located in the Pacific Ocean, or more precisely, on the Japanese archipelago, which consists of 6852 islands. This is an economically developed state that stands out high level life and original culture. Although economic and social sphere at altitude, Japan's population is not experiencing the best period in terms of growth.

However, this figure is decreasing every year: in 2018 alone it became less by 149,000 people. Forecasts for 2019 are also not reassuring: the countrymeters portal reports that natural growth will remain negative, the loss will be another 149,000. We need to figure out why such a developed state is experiencing difficulties with population growth.

Demographic situation

Demography studies the population, the patterns of its reproduction, distribution and composition. The fact is that in Japan low level fertility and mortality. CNN reports that the number of newborns fell to 921,000 in 2018, the lowest since 1899. Each woman gives birth to an average of 1.4 children, when with an increase in the population this figure is 2.1. The government intends to increase this number to 1.8. On the other side, mortality in Japan also low. Since the country has developed healthcare and education for citizens, the Japanese can boast of almost the highest standard of living among the most developed countries. The standard of living also affects average duration life , here the Japanese are ahead of countries such as Switzerland, Spain and Singapore (the world average is 71):

According to the census results at the beginning of 2019, 126,048,221 people live in Japan (current as of April 2019). This allowed the country to take 10th place among other countries in terms of the number of citizens.

average life expectancy

• men – 79 years old
• women – 85.7 years

This means that Japan is an aging nation. The percentage of residents of retirement age is increasing (22.9%), and fewer and fewer are children and adolescents (only 13.1%). The remaining 64% of residents are of working age.

In Japanese society, a large. To provide for disabled people, it is necessary that able-bodied residents produce one and a half times more services and goods than they need themselves.

Male to female ratio is:

• 0-24 – 105 men per 100 women
• 25-69 – 101 to 100 respectively
• 70+ – 69 to 100

Emigration policy of the Japanese government

Developed countries like the USA, Germany and Canada have found a solution to the problem of the aging population by revising their emigration policy. Unfortunately, the Japanese do not consider this option - 99% are indigenous people. These people care about preserving ancient traditions and culture, keeping the crime rate low, and preventing crimes by citizens. Most foreigners are not familiar with the culture and customs, so they do not take root here.

The majority of Japanese immigrants are Korean (0.5%) and Chinese (0.4%).

Japan population, density

Density determines how many people live in one square kilometer of territory. According to the UN Department of Statistics, the country has an average population of 333 people per square kilometer. Despite the fact that the country is considered densely populated, some areas are not densely populated - only 70 people. The number of urban residents and those who inhabit coastal areas is about 500 people, and some regions number even 5.5 thousand.

Every year, thousands of young Japanese decide to move to cities, increasing the level of urbanization. There are 11 million-plus cities in the country, the most populated are:

• Tokyo - 13.7 million
• Osaka – 2.6 million
• Nagoya – 2.2 million

Demographic Projections for the Japanese

According to the National Institute of Research's Japan Population Projections: 2016 to 2065, the country will have 88.1 million people in 2065—almost two-thirds the number today. Japan's population will continue to age rapidly, with more than 25.5 percent of the population being 75 years of age or older. It is estimated that 547,000 will reach the age of 100 - ten times more than in 2015.

Optimists argue that the situation in the land of the rising sun will return to the same number of inhabitants as 65 years ago. But the situation with the aging population is significantly different. Japan is already becoming a shrinking society. The main reason is the natural decrease, that is, the difference between birth rates and deaths. Also, Japanese women began to get married only at the age of 30, which affects the birth of children. Although the government is trying to support young families, this is not easy, because a significant part of the budget is allocated to older people.

Video about the population of Japan

The article contains information regarding the population of Japan. Indicates the reasons that influenced the mononationality of the state. Gives a brief insight into Japanese life.

Population of Japan

Japan belongs to the category of mononational states. Indigenous people here make up over 99% of the population.

Women predominate in the country - there are almost 3 million more of them than men.

To understand what kind of population there is in Japan, it is necessary to take into account the fact that the largest possible number of national minorities are Koreans, about 600 thousand of them.

On about. Hokkaido is home to almost 16 thousand Ainu.

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Rice. 1. Ainu.

They are considered to be the aborigines of the Japanese islands, since they settled them back in the 11th century.

A specific phenomenon of ethnography is represented by the “eta” caste, also called “Barakumin”. This is a relic of the feudal period.

The “eta” caste is the fifth special composition of the unprivileged population, the so-called group of “people of vile professions”:

• tanners;
• scavengers;
• jesters.

The ancestors of these people live in specialized reservations. In total there are about six hundred of them with a population of almost 3 million people. In fact, they have equal rights like other members of society, but in reality they experience discrimination and oppression.

Family unions between “this” and “not this” are practically not concluded.

Population of Japan

According to the UN, the population of Japan is 127.1 million people. The country's population has not changed for almost a decade. This is due to the low birth and death rates.

The economically active population accounts for 50% of the total number, 13% of the population is employed in industrial sector, 20% are in the agricultural sector, and 40% of Japanese work in the non-production sector.

Japan ranks seventh in the world in terms of population.

A slight increase in numbers is noted due to immigrants.

Foreigners do not take root in Japan due to violation of existing customs and norms. This is also influenced by foreigners' lack of knowledge of Japanese culture.

The psychology of the Japanese differs from the psychology of other nations. Therefore, in comparison with other ethnic groups, the country's residents have a higher life expectancy and a low number of violent crimes. The Japanese are the only nation that has preserved traditions in the face of rapid technological development.

Rice. 2. Cherry blossom festival.

The population of Japan is distributed quite unevenly. However, the country is a densely populated state. The average population density of Japan is approximately over 300 people per square meter. km. Coastal areas are marked by greater density - over 500 people per square meter. km.

The bulk of the country's inhabitants, which is 80%, live in cities.

There are more than a dozen (11) million-plus cities in Japan. The Keihin metropolitan area alone is home to 30 million people. Agglomerations that are localized on the Pacific coast merge into a single megalopolis, Tokaido.

Rice. 3. Megalopolis Tokaido.

The length of the megalopolis is 600 km, and the population is 65 million people. The country faces a difficult demographic situation.

The average age is 44.6 years. Children and teenagers account for only 13%, people of retirement age 28%, able-bodied citizens - 64%.

What have we learned?

We found out what the population density is in the country. We learned what factors regulate the birth and death rates in Japan. We understood the reason why the country is reluctant to accept foreigners.

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Peculiarities geographical location and the historical development of Japan had a significant impact on current situation the state in general and the population in particular.

The specifics of the Eastern mentality and the relative isolation of the state influenced the formation of the national composition of the country, the life expectancy of the Japanese, their attitude towards family, their traditions and culture.

Geographical location of Japan

Geographically, the state consists entirely of islands located in the eastern part of Asia.

97% of the area is formed by the largest of them:

• Honshu;
• Hokkaido;
• Kyushu;
• Shikoku;
• Okinawa.

The remaining 3% is made up of groups of Pacific islands: Nampo, Izu, Ogasawara, Kazan and others.

History of development

With the rise to power of a military government in the 17th century, the Tokugawa Shogunate, Japan maintained a policy of closed borders that lasted two centuries. As a result, by the mid-19th century the country was a fragmented, closed agricultural periphery. By this time, it had become impossible to ignore global development trends and the penetration of Western republics into the region.

The deterioration of the internal economic and social situation led the country to a coup - the Meiji restoration (enlightened rule).

From this moment it begins new stage historical development of Japan, associated with the following factors:

1. The abolition of the shogunate and the return of the power of the monarch.
2. Opening borders: introducing Western technologies, developing foreign trade relations.
3. Reorganization of the army and navy along the lines of Germany and Great Britain.
4. Reform internal situation countries.

This policy brought the country to the position of a developed world power by the beginning of the 20th century. The position of the aggressor in the Second World War and its consequences (destruction, indemnity, loss of territories, military power and independence) threw the country back from the general line of development for some time. This made its own adjustments to the history of the country.

In the post-war period, all funds were spent on restoring the state, and not on the arms race and participation in military clashes of the Cold War. The result was record economic growth in the 50-70s of the 20th century. The Japanese economic miracle returned the country to a place among world leaders that remains to this day.

Area and boundaries

The area of ​​the country is represented by the sum of all its constituent islands and water surfaces. This number is 377,930 sq. km.

Where Japan is located on the world map shows us the complete absence of land borders.

The closest neighbors are separated by seas and straits:

• China - East China Sea in the southwest;
• Korea - Sea of ​​Japan in the west;
• Russia (Sakhalin Island and the Kuril Islands) - the La Perouse Strait and the Kunashir Strait in the north.

Capital

The main city of the country is Tokyo, located on the largest and most populous island of Honshu. More than 13 million people live here.

Tokyo is the center of:

• production of high-tech science-intensive products;
• the location of the main offices of international foreign corporations;
• education;
• finance (one of the largest stock exchanges in the world);
• politics and administration.

Political regime

Japan is a democratic state with a constitutional monarchy form of government. This implies the nominal supremacy of the emperor, whose role is to perform representative functions.

The de facto head of state is the Prime Minister, head of the Cabinet of Ministers, the country's executive body.

The expression of the will of the people, the holder of legislative power and the bearer of state sovereignty is the parliament.

The composition is represented by two chambers:

1. House of Representatives, consisting of 480 deputies elected for 4 years.
2. The House of Councilors, consisting of 242 deputies elected for 6 years.

State symbols

The flag of Japan is a red circle on an azure background. It is a symbol of the country's rise in the 19th century. Along with the anthem and flag, the seal of the emperor is a state symbol. Her imprint is a chrysanthemum with 16 petals.

Japan also has many officially recognized symbols of the country associated with animals, plants and nature.

First of all this:

• Mount Fuji;
• sakura;
• Japanese stork;
• Tanuki (raccoon dog), etc.

The language of the country is absolutely special, having several dialects. It is considered one of the most difficult; it can take a whole year to learn just the alphabet and counting system. The hieroglyphic writing, which is unusual for the European eye, is especially difficult to perceive.

Official currency unit country - the yen is one of the reserve currencies of the world. Japanese money is represented by coins and paper bills. The smallest coin is one yen, the largest bill is 10,000 yen, or one mana.

Economy

Rapid economic growth 50-70. not without government intervention. But at present, such trends cannot solve the crisis, so it is proposed to weaken the regulation of foreign exchange and financial markets, privatization of the public sector, etc.

IN financially Japan is a global lender, plays a leading role in the world and has a dominant position in Asia. IN economic issues Japan is engaged in an active dialogue with the US President.

In terms of production, the resource-poor country occupies a leading position in industry.

Agriculture is represented by rice growing and fishing. The country is a leader in the production and processing of fish and seafood in the world.

Relief and climate

The volcanic and mountainous origin of the islands, the constant movement of the tectonic plate leads to frequent earthquakes in the region.

The climatic zone is represented by four distinct seasons.

Depending on the territory, temperature fluctuations occur on average:

1. From –15 °C in the north of Hokkaido, to +16 °C on the southern islands in winter.
2. From 25 °C in the north, to 30 °C in the south - in summer.

The weather in Japan is influenced by its island position, proximity to the ocean, high humidity and seasonal winds.

How are the Japanese different?

The Japanese are characterized by workaholism, pedantry and scrupulousness in their work. Although the working day in the country is officially eight-hour, few people comply with this norm. Employees often stay at work for 12 hours.

The appearance feature is average height Japanese, different from European. At the beginning of the 20th century it was 150 cm for men and 145 cm for women. Today there is an increase in this figure - the average Japanese reaches 170 cm.

Population

Since the 70s of the 20th century, negative trends have been observed in the demographic issue. Natural population growth gradually fell, and since 2011 it has become negative.

Number and density

At the end of 2018 total number Japan's population was 126.087 million.

The distribution of people across the main islands is extremely uneven:

1. Honshu. Population - 103 million people. Density - 447 people per square kilometer.
2. Hokkaido. Population - 5.6 million people. Density - 64.5.
3. Kyushu. The population is 12 million people, with a density of 371 people per square kilometer.
4. Shikoku. Population - 3.9 million people. Density - 220.

The average population density in the country is 333.6 people per square kilometer.

Men and women

In the country, the female population slightly exceeds the male population. Their number is 61.39 million men, 64.66 million women.

In percentage terms it looks like this:

• 48.7% men;
• 51.3% women.

Mortality and fertility

Over the past seven years, natural population growth has been negative. Its performance from 2011 to 2018 decreased from -0.03% to -0.12%.

Number of births in Last year is 199,508 people, deaths - 241,143 people.

Religions

Japan is a non-religious country. The number of atheists and those who do not adhere to any religion exceeds half of the population, namely 57%. The most numerous religion is Buddhism, it has more than 45 million followers, accounting for 36% of the population.

Adherents of other faiths were distributed as follows:

• Christianity - 1.6% of the country's population;
• Islam - 0.2%;
• folk beliefs - 0.4%;
• others - 4.6%.

National composition

The country acquired a single-national character (about 99% Japanese) thanks to a restrictive migration policy. However, the country is home to a large group of Koreans, many of whom were born here. Their number is about 600 thousand people. In addition, the Chinese, Ainu, Ryuki, Eta and others live here.

Family

Japan is one of the few eastern countries, which, having opened its borders to Europeans in the mid-19th century, managed to preserve its traditions and customs, closely intertwined with modern trends. This also applies to the family situation.

Traditionally, Japan is dominated by patriarchal families, where the leading role is played by the man. Although women here work and build careers, after the birth of a child they often remain at home until the children reach the age of five.

The Japanese have great respect for their elders. Traditionally, the Japanese family consisted of several generations. Elderly relatives lived with their children and grandchildren. Currently, due to the high employment of working family members, pensioners often remain in nursing homes, where they are provided with proper care.

Today, Japanese families have one or two children. Average nationwide is 1.4 children per woman, which leads to negative population growth rates.

The role of a man

Despite all modern trends, the head of the family in Japan is a man. His interests come first. He also makes important decisions regarding family members.

This role comes with responsibilities. A man is the breadwinner and protector of the family. He is forced to work a lot, in modern Japan - often until night, which limits communication with his family only on weekends.

The role of women

From this follows the role of a woman; here she is the keeper of the hearth. Many women give up their careers in favor of a family: running a household, organizing their daily life, raising children. By at least until the child starts school, which happens at the age of five. Kindergartens are not popular here.

Famous Japanese

Undoubtedly, the most popular and famous personalities in Japan are members of the imperial house. First of all, this is Emperor Akihito himself, who over the years of his reign has achieved an exceptionally positive attitude towards himself from the press and people. In particular, he brought a lot of new things into the way of life of his family.

Already in 2019, Akihito’s son, Naruhito, will assume the post of emperor. The prince is married to diplomat Masaka Owada, and the family has a daughter, Aiko. Naruhito names the country's main problems as the aging population (declining birth rate) and the consumption of water resources.

Figures of art, culture and media are no less popular in Japan.

Here are some of them:

1. Hayao Miyazaki. Born January 5, 1941. A world-famous creator of animated films, who brought anime into a special, original genre.
2. Isao Takahata. Born October 29, 1935. Animator, friend and colleague of Hayao Miyazaki, who made a significant contribution to the development of anime.
3. Miya Shinma. Born in 1970. Perfumer, creator of his own brand, known all over the world.
4. Hiroshi Yoshida. Years of life 1876-1950. Artist. During his creative career he made a significant contribution to the development of Japanese engraving and developed his own unique painting style.
5. Eiko Kadono. Born January 1, 1935. A writer, her children's series brought her worldwide fame. Winner of many prizes and awards.

Big cities

Japan is an urbanized country. Despite the small area of ​​the state, there are about 790 cities. A settlement with a population of more than 50 thousand acquires this status.

Cities can receive the following statuses:

• special (more than 200 thousand inhabitants) - 31 cities;
• central (more than 300 thousand inhabitants) - 54 cities;
• determined by government orders (more than 500 thousand inhabitants) - 20 cities.

The number of millionaire cities changes over time, now there are 11.

The list of the largest is presented as follows:

• Tokyo - 13.7 million people;
• Yokohama - 3.7 million people;
• Osaka - 2.6 million people;
• Nagoya - 2.2 million people;
• Sapporo - 1.9 million people.

Lifespan

Japan is famous for its long life expectancy. In the World Health Organization rankings, it is the leader in this indicator. Currently, the average hovers around 84 years. Women live on average 87 years, men - 81 years. This is due to the characteristics and traditions of the country, high standard of living and advanced medicine, and level of urbanization.

The country is proud of its long-livers, but this can later lead to disastrous results. Already observed today demographic crisis shows tendencies towards the aging of the nation.

Culture and education

In the process of the country's historical development, from complete isolation to the opening of borders, a completely original culture has developed here. Having managed to preserve traditions and customs, the Japanese very cleverly introduce elements of Western culture, changing them to suit themselves.

Education in the land of the rising sun is taken very seriously. His system is traditional for the country. The academic year here begins in April, is divided into three semesters, and ends in March. Kindergartens are unpopular here and are aimed not at education, but at socialization. Schooling begins at the age of five and lasts 12 years. Upon completion, the student can continue his education at a college or university.

Population forecast

As a result of the demographic crisis, Japan's population is declining. In 2011, natural growth showed negative values. If the situation does not change, then, according to forecasts of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, by 2025 the number of inhabitants of the country will fall to 124,309,805 people, and the growth rate will drop to -1.73%.

This is interesting:

1. A popular tourist destination is Aokigahara, or the suicide forest. According to legend, weak relatives whom they could not feed were left here to die.
2. A distinctive feature of the Japanese greeting is bowing instead of shaking hands. Moreover, there are a considerable number of rules on how low the bow should be or how many times you need to bow.
3. To this day, you can order dinner with a geisha as an attraction. But you can’t relax here either. Even holidays in Japan are strictly regulated and surrounded by a set of rules, especially in relation to your escort.
4. Perhaps it is precisely because of the huge number of restrictions and regulations that teenagers in Japan are extremely radical in their appearance. Strange clothes, multi-colored hair and provocative behavior are allowed until you get a job.
5. The Japanese are very reserved and non-confrontational. Showing aggression here is considered a loss of dignity.

Video

Additional material on the topic is presented in the following video.

Japan ranks tenth in the world in terms of population. As of the end of 2017, 126,236 thousand people live in the Land of the Rising Sun. Since local authorities restrict migration, Japan remains a single-national country, 99% of the state's population is Japanese. Only about 60-70 thousand migrants come to Japan every year, most of whom come from Korea and China.

The population of Japan for 2018 is 127,207, 800 people (current as of 06/03/2018)

In Japan, there is a predominance of females over males. According to statistics, for every 100 women there are 95 men.

Since 2011, Japan has been experiencing a demographic crisis. With only 1.4 children for every Japanese adult, the country's population is gradually declining. Today one of the main tasks demographic policy government is to bring the birth rate to 1.8 children per woman. However, this figure will also be less than the coefficient required for normal natural increase. In 2017, the number of Japanese residents decreased by more than 200,000 people compared to previous year. According to experts, this trend will continue in the coming years. If the rate of population decline continues at the same rate, by 2065 the number of Japanese residents will decrease by about a third. At the same time, the life expectancy of the Japanese continues to be very high: 78.8 years for men and 85.6 years for women. Therefore, Japan is a rapidly aging country. According to 2017 statistics, only 13% of Japan's population are children and adolescents under 15 years of age. And almost a full quarter of Japanese citizens are over 64. A similar division by age groups suggests that Japan has serious problems with population growth. A similar situation occurs in many developed countries As a rule, it is solved at the expense of emigrants. So far, Japanese emigration policy has not allowed the population to increase in this way, but most likely, in the coming years, a number of laws regarding emigration to Japan will be revised.

Japan population density

The average population density in Japan is 334 people. per 1 sq. km, however, the country is unevenly populated. The majority of Japanese (about 103 million people) live on the island of Honshu, namely in its central part between Tokyo and Osaka. For comparison: the second most populous island of the Japanese archipelago, Hokkaido, is home to only 5.5 million people. And this despite the fact that Hokkaido is only half the size of Honshu. The other Japanese islands are even less populated. Every year, thousands of young people leave their hometowns and villages and move to big cities. Therefore, in some regions the population density can reach 5.5 thousand people per 1 sq. km, and in some areas per 1 sq. km there are only 70 people living there. Japan has a high level of urbanization, with a total of 11 million-plus cities. The most populous of them are:

• Tokyo (13.7 million people);
• Yokohama (3.7 million people);
• Osaka (2.6 million people);
• Nagoya (2.2 million people);
• Sapporo (1.9 million people).

The population in Japan is more than 125 million people.
National composition:

Japanese (98%);
Koreans, Chinese and other nations (2%).

Big cities: Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka, Yokohama, Nagoya, Kawasaki.
The official language of Japan is Japanese.
Japan has high density population – more than 330 people live per 1 km2.
Japan is inhabited mainly by Japanese - very few foreigners live here. As for Europeans and Americans, they do not live in Japan on a permanent basis. According to statistics, several tens of thousands of people from the West come to work in Japan, but after about a few years they return to their homeland.
The indigenous inhabitants are the Ainu and there are few of them left - only 20-30 thousand in the entire country (some of them were able to preserve their culture and language, and live in isolated settlements).

Lifespan

Men in Japan live on average 78 years, and women live 85 years.
The Japanese owe their high life expectancy to a healthy diet based on fruits and seafood, and developed system healthcare.
In addition, the Japanese are stricter about their health compared to people living in other countries: among the Japanese there is an extremely low rate of obesity (only 3.5% of the population have problems with excess weight, while in the United States this figure is 34 %).
As for alcoholic beverages, the Japanese consume them 3 times less than, for example, Russians.
Japan is famous for its long-lived people (100 years and older), who mainly live on the islands of Kyushu and Okinawa - all thanks to a simple diet consisting of fish, rice, fruits and vegetables.

Traditions and customs of the Japanese

The Japanese honor traditions and do not forget about ancient holidays. They celebrate both family and children's holidays, as well as large national celebrations (participants in the process dress in samurai outfits).
The Japanese are confident that a child's crying can drive away evil spirits and help the child develop properly. In this regard, the Crying Children Festival is held annually in Japan.
The essence of the holiday: sumo wrestlers must take children in their arms and make them cry. The winner will be the wrestler whose child cries the fastest and loudest.
Residents of Japan know that animals help calm the nervous system, and since in apartments major cities It is forbidden to have pets, the Japanese have found a way out - they visit “cat cafes” where you can play and cuddle, for example, kittens (hourly payment).
Are you going on holiday to Japan? Please note that smoking is not allowed in public places here.