Japan has revealed that its population aged 65 and over has reached 36.24 million, accounting for 29.6% of the total population, a record high, while the number of elderly workers has increased to 9.43 million.
On 21 September 2026, Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications released population survey data as of 15 September, showing that Japan has approximately 36.24 million people aged 65 or older, an increase of about 20,000 from the previous year. Of these, 15.71 million are men and 20.54 million are women. The data indicates that the elderly population accounts for 29.6% of Japan's total population, up 0.2 percentage points from the previous year, marking the highest proportion ever recorded, with men at 26.3% and women at 32.6%.
It also noted that Japan has the highest proportion of elderly people among 39 countries worldwide with populations exceeding 40 million, according to United Nations projections.
This data was released in observance of Respect for the Aged Day, which fell on Monday, 21 September. Meanwhile, another ministry survey found that the number of elderly people still working in Japan last year rose to a record high of 9.43 million, an increase of 130,000 from the previous year.
The employment rate for those aged 65 and over stands at 26%, up 0.3 percentage points. Broken down by age groups, those aged 65-69 have a work rate of 54.5%, those 70-74 at 36.2%, and those 75 and older at 12.6%, all setting new records. Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications expects the number of working elderly to continue rising due to labor shortages faced by many industries amid a declining population.
Source: NHK