Urban population growth (annual %) in Japan
Japan: Urban population growth (annual %) was -0.4% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Urban population growth in Japan, 1961–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in annual %.
Analysis
In 2025, urban population growth in Japan stood at -0.4%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 16.9% on the previous year and down 23,213.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population growth in Japan peaked at 3.4% in 1971 and was at its lowest, -0.4%, in 2023.
That places Japan 203rd out of 218 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Urban population growth (annual %) in Japan, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 2.5% | — |
| 1962 | 2.4% | -2.9% |
| 1963 | 2.4% | -0.6% |
| 1964 | 2.4% | -1.8% |
| 1965 | 2.3% | -0.3% |
| 1966 | 2.1% | -8.7% |
| 1967 | 2.2% | +3.0% |
| 1968 | 2.3% | +2.2% |
| 1969 | 2.3% | +1.5% |
| 1970 | 2.2% | -2.6% |
| 1971 | 3.4% | +51.1% |
| 1972 | 2.7% | -19.0% |
| 1973 | 2.7% | -1.3% |
| 1974 | 2.4% | -12.0% |
| 1975 | 1.9% | -21.7% |
| 1976 | 1.2% | -33.7% |
| 1977 | 1.0% | -14.8% |
| 1978 | 1.0% | -7.8% |
| 1979 | 0.9% | -6.9% |
| 1980 | 0.9% | -4.4% |
| 1981 | 0.8% | -3.5% |
| 1982 | 0.8% | -1.2% |
| 1983 | 0.8% | +2.2% |
| 1984 | 0.8% | -4.5% |
| 1985 | 0.8% | -2.6% |
| 1986 | 0.7% | -11.7% |
| 1987 | 0.6% | -6.1% |
| 1988 | 0.6% | -9.2% |
| 1989 | 0.6% | -2.3% |
| 1990 | 0.5% | -12.0% |
| 1991 | 0.6% | +12.0% |
| 1992 | 0.5% | -3.4% |
| 1993 | 0.5% | -8.4% |
| 1994 | 0.5% | -9.3% |
| 1995 | 0.4% | -10.3% |
| 1996 | 0.4% | -7.1% |
| 1997 | 0.4% | -5.1% |
| 1998 | 0.4% | +9.4% |
| 1999 | 0.3% | -14.0% |
| 2000 | 0.4% | +11.5% |
| 2001 | 0.9% | +147.5% |
| 2002 | 2.0% | +111.6% |
| 2003 | 2.5% | +27.4% |
| 2004 | 2.4% | -5.6% |
| 2005 | 1.9% | -21.1% |
| 2006 | 1.4% | -23.2% |
| 2007 | 1.4% | -2.8% |
| 2008 | 1.2% | -14.1% |
| 2009 | 0.9% | -24.7% |
| 2010 | 0.6% | -35.5% |
| 2011 | 0.1% | -86.3% |
| 2012 | 0.0% | -75.0% |
| 2013 | -0.0% | -134.6% |
| 2014 | -0.0% | +182.7% |
| 2015 | 0.0% | -108.3% |
| 2016 | 0.1% | +3569.7% |
| 2017 | 0.0% | -61.6% |
| 2018 | -0.0% | -236.0% |
| 2019 | -0.1% | +76.7% |
| 2020 | -0.2% | +309.7% |
| 2021 | -0.4% | +60.2% |
| 2022 | -0.3% | -7.6% |
| 2023 | -0.4% | +12.7% |
| 2024 | -0.3% | -14.5% |
| 2025 | -0.4% | +16.9% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's -0.4% is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.6%. (85 countries reporting)
- Japan's -0.4% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.9%. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Urban population growth (annual %) in Japan changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | +3569.7% | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| 2020 | -309.7% | -0.1% | -0.2% |
| 2018 | -236.0% | 0.0% | -0.0% |
| 2014 | -182.7% | -0.0% | -0.0% |
| 2001 | +147.5% | 0.4% | 0.9% |
| 2013 | -134.6% | 0.0% | -0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.3% | 2.1% | 2.5% | 9 |
| 1970s | 1.9% | 0.9% | 3.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.7% | 0.6% | 0.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.5% | 0.4% | 2.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.1% | -0.1% | 0.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | -0.3% | -0.4% | -0.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Japan
More climate change data for Japan
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 337.64 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 12,181 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 3,633 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 8,547 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 13.71 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 305.27 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 9,462 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 2,401 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 7,061 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 9.06 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population growth in Japan?
- Urban population growth in Japan was -0.4% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest urban population growth recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 3.4% in 1971.
- What is the lowest urban population growth recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.4% in 2023.
- How does Japan rank for urban population growth?
- Japan ranks 203rd out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is urban population growth rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 23,213.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as part of Urban population growth (annual %). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Annual urban population growth rate for year t is the exponential rate of growth of midyear urban population from year t-1 to t, expressed as a percentage. Urban population refers to people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated using World Bank total population estimates and urban ratios from the United Nations World Urbanization Prospects.