Chinese Herald The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications of Japan released its population estimate for October 1, 2023, on April 12. The results show that the total population, including foreigners, was 124.352 million, a decrease of 595,000 from the same period of the previous year, and a decrease for 13 consecutive years. The number of Japanese fell by 837,000 to 121.193 million, the largest decline since 1950 for which comparable data are available. The population is also aging, and securing the workforce is a major challenge.
In terms of age, the number of "late seniors" over 75 years old in the total population increased by 713,000 to 20.078 million, exceeding 20 million for the first time. The population aged 0~14 years old who will bear the future decreased by 329,000 to 14.173 million, accounting for 11.4% of the total population, a record low.
The main working population aged 15~64 decreased by 256,000 to 73.952 million, accounting for 59.5%, an increase of 0.1 percentage points from the previous year, the lowest point in history. The number of people over the age of 65 decreased by 9,000, but the proportion was 29.1%, a record high.
The decline in the Japanese has widened for 12 consecutive years. The number of foreigners increased by 243,000 to 3.159 million, which contributed to the reduction in the total population.
The population estimates are based on the data of the five-year census and reflect subsequent births, deaths, and immigration movements. This is also the case for foreign workers and international students who are staying in Japan for more than three months.
Japan's population has decreased by more than 830,000 people, and the presence of foreign workers to fill the shortage has increased
In Japan, where the birthrate is declining and the population is aging, the influx of foreigners is increasing as a labor force that supports growth.
Japan's population is estimated at 121,193,000 in 2023, a decrease of 837,000 (0.69%), the largest decline since 1950. The declining birthrate and aging population are difficult to contain, and the natural decline in the number of newborns below the number of deaths has been going on for 17 years. The proportion of people over the age of 65 in the total population reached 29.1%, a new high. The number of people over 75 years old was 20.07 million, exceeding 20 million for the first time.
In terms of prefectures, Tokyo increased slightly by 0.34%, but decreased in the remaining 46 prefectures.
The working-age population, which supported economic growth, decreased by 256,000 to 73,952,000. The proportion of the total is 59.5%, and it has been less than 6% since 2018. This is lower compared to countries such as the United States (64.7%), the United Kingdom (63.3%), South Korea (70.4%) and China (68.9%).
Since the pandemic, there has been a labor shortage in Japan, and the demand for foreign workers has been increasing. According to a survey by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, the number of foreign workers reached 2.04 million by the end of October 2023, exceeding 2 million for the first time. The growth rate was 12.4%, more than double that of the previous year.
The number of foreigners living in Japan is increasing. The overall population of foreigners increased by 243,000 from last year to 3,159,000, a record high. The number of arrivals exceeded the number of departures by 240,000. In terms of volume, Vietnam and China are the majority, and there is a significant increase in the construction and medical sectors.
Japan's National Institute of Social Security and Population Research predicts that Japan's population will fall to 87 million by 2070. Of these, 10% are foreigners.
According to the 2022 survey of the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), the wage level (manufacturing workers) in Vietnam and Chinese mainland is less than 30% of that in Japan (Tokyo), but the overall wage increase rate remains high, 6% in Vietnam and 4% in Chinese mainland.
Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong have higher wage levels than Japan in terms of where foreign workers choose their place of employment. Singapore is similar to South Korea, and Japan is not very attractive in terms of wages.
In March this year, the Japanese government decided to create a system called "Cultivating Employment" to set a period of time for foreign human resources to improve their skills after entering Japan. In order for foreign human resources to work in Japan, in addition to expanding the scope of employment through the relaxation of conditions, comprehensive measures such as improving the living environment and enhancing Japanese language education are also a top priority.