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Japan Population 2026 and Religious Demographics: Trends & Insights
Japan is an island country that has nearly 7000 islands, It is located in East Asia in the northwest Pacific Ocean. Japan is the eleventh most populous country in the world. It’s one of the most densely populated and urbanized representing 1.62% percent of the world’s population.
As of Jan. 1, 2023, Japan’s population, including foreign residents, stood at 125,416,877, down around 511,000 a year earlier, according to a demographics survey by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications. and according to the Census Estimates, the estimated population of Japan in 2026 is 121,282,488 (12.1 crores or 121 million)
also read about the Japanese population in the United States
Japan has a negative population growth rate from 2022-2023 of 0.50%. Its population is equivalent to 1.62% of the total world population. The total Land Area of Japan is 364,546 sq. km (140,752 sq. mi) and the Population Density of Japan is 332.7 per Km2 (891 per mi2).
| Japan | 2026 Population |
| Total Population | 121,282,488 (121.2 million) |
| Global Rank | 11 |
| Population Density | 332.7 per sq. Km |
| Area | 364,546 sq. km (140,752 sq. mi) |
| Area Rank | 62 |
| Capital City | Tokyo |
Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.
Religious Demographics of Japan(2026 Updated)
Shinto and Buddhism are the main religions in Japan. The estimated population of both religions is almost identical: approximately 70.4% of Japanese are Shinto are 69.8% are Buddhist. Most Japanese identify as both Shinto and Buddhist and two religions coexist.
The other main religion in Japan is Christianity, though only about 1.5% of the population identifies as Christian. Approx. 6.2% of the population identifies as “other,” a group that includes Islam, the Baha’i Faith, Hinduism, Judaism, and animism.
Japan Religion Percentage
- Buddhism and Shinto – 92.3%
- Christianity – 1.5%
- Other and irreligion – 6.2%
Projected Religious Demographics of Japan (2010-2050)
According to Pew Research estimates Japan’s religious landscape is expected to see a rise in the unaffiliated population from 57.0% in 2010 to 67.7% by 2050, while Buddhism is projected to decline from 36.2% to 25.1% in the same period. The Christian population is expected to grow slightly from 1.6% to 2.4%, while other religions, including folk traditions and minority faiths, will see a gradual decline from 5.2% to 4.8%.
| Year | Unaffiliated | Buddhists | Christians | Other Religions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 57.0% | 36.2% | 1.6% | 5.2% |
| 2020 | 60.0% | 33.2% | 1.8% | 5.0% |
| 2030 | 63.0% | 30.1% | 1.9% | 5.0% |
| 2040 | 65.7% | 27.3% | 2.1% | 4.9% |
| 2050 | 67.7% | 25.1% | 2.4% | 4.8% |
read about religion in Asia
Largest Cities in Japan by Population
| # | City | Population (2015 Census) |
| 1 | Tokyo | 92,72,740 |
| 2 | Yokohama | 37,24,844 |
| 3 | Osaka | 26,91,185 |
| 4 | Nagoya | 22,95,638 |
| 5 | Sapporo | 19,52,356 |
| 6 | Fukuoka | 15,38,681 |
| 7 | Kobe | 15,37,272 |
| 8 | Kawasaki | 14,75,213 |
| 9 | Kyoto | 14,75,183 |
| 10 | Saitama | 12,63,979 |
| 11 | Hiroshima | 11,94,034 |
| 12 | Sendai | 10,82,159 |
| 13 | Chiba | 9,71,882 |
| 14 | Kitakyushu | 9,61,286 |
| 15 | Sakai | 8,39,310 |
| 16 | Niigata | 8,10,157 |
| 17 | Hamamatsu | 7,97,980 |
| 18 | Kumamoto | 7,40,822 |
| 19 | Sagamihara | 7,20,780 |
| 20 | Okayama | 7,19,474 |
Source: Japan 2015 Census estimates