Tokyo [Japan], April 16 (HBTV): The population of Japanese nationals stood at 120.3 million as of October 2024, down a record 898,000 from a year earlier, a government estimate showed on Monday, amid the greying of society and a declining birthrate, Kyodo News reported.

The total population in Japan, including foreign residents, also declined by 550,000 to 123.8 million as of October 1 last year, marking the 14th consecutive year of population decrease, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.

This sharpest annual drop in Japanese nationals since comparable data became available in 1950 comes as the number of people aged 14 and below dropped by 343,000 to 13.83 million, accounting for a record low of 11.2 per cent of the total population. In contrast, the population of those aged 65 and over increased by 17,000 to 36.24 million, reaching a record high of 29.3 per cent, Kyodo News reported.

The working-age population, or people between 15 and 64 years, fell by 224,000 to 73.73 million, making up 59.6 per cent of the population, the estimate showed.

According to the World Health Organisation, Japan’s population is projected to decline by 15 per cent to 105,123,167 by 2050.

In Japan, life expectancy at birth has improved by 2.93 years, rising from 81.5 years in 2000 to 84.5 years in 2021. In the Western Pacific region, life expectancy at birth increased by 5.46 years, from 72 years in 2000 to 77.4 years in 2021.

The WHO further projected that the number of additional people expected to enjoy better health and well-being in Japan will be 6.5 million (ranging from -1.1 million to 12.9 million) by 2025 compared to 2018. The number of additional people expected to be protected from health emergencies is projected to be 10.2 million (ranging from 5.8 million to 12.8 million) by 2025 compared to 2018. (ANI)