World Population Prospects - Population Division

World Population Prospects 2024

Data Sources

A description of the empirical data used and the methods applied in revising past estimates of population and components of demographic change (fertility, child, adult and overall mortality, international migration) is available here for each country or area for the period 1950 to 2023. For the countries with less than 1,000 inhabitants in 2023, only the data sources for total population are made available.

Select below a country or area to see the respective information, or download the whole set of metadata in PDF format for all countries or areas or a tabular version for each demographic component under Documentation.

Japan

Population: Total population and distribution by age and sex estimated to be consistent with the population by age and sex of the (a) 1950, 1955, 1960, 1965, 1970, 1975, 1980, 1985, 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015, 2020 censuses; (b) adjusted for under/over count; (c) official estimates through 2022; (d) International estimates used up to 2021; and with estimates of the subsequent trends in fertility, mortality and international migration. In addition, the (a) 1947, 1948 censuses; (b) adjusted for under/over count; (c) adjusted for age heaping; (d) adjusted for under enumeration of children under age 15 have been considered.

Graphs: Total Population 5-year age groups Single age distribution

Fertility: Total fertility rate and age pattern of fertility based on: (a) official estimates of age-specific fertility rates through 2021; (b) registered births classified by age of mother and the underlying female population by age through 2023; (c) adjusted for underregistration; (d) International estimates used up to 2020. In addition, the (a) indirect estimates obtained from the application of the reverse survival method to the 1950, 1955, 1960, 1965, 1970, 1975, 1980, 1985, 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015 censuses and 1998-2010 Education Stats; (b) cohort-completed fertility backdated by the mean age of childbearing from the 1950, 1960, 1970 censuses have been considered.

Graphs: Total fertility rate 5-year age groups

Child Mortality: Under-five mortality based on: (a) official estimates of infant and child mortality through 2022; (b) registered infant and child deaths through 2023.

Graphs: Infant Mortality Under-five Mortality

Overall Mortality: Life expectancy at birth and age pattern of mortality based on: (a) official estimates through 2022; (b) registered deaths by age and sex available through 2022; (c) International estimates used up to 2021.

Graphs: Life expectancy at birth Life expectancy at age Age specific mortality rate

Adult and Old Age Mortality: Estimates derived from: (a) deaths by age and sex available from Register through 2022; (b) adjusted for underregistration; (c) International estimates used up to 2021; (d) estimates of under-five, adult and old age mortality. In addition, the (a) recent household deaths data by age and sex from the 1947-2017 Estimates; (b) indirect estimates of male adult mortality based on female widowhood data from the 1970, 1975, 1980, 1985, 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015 censuses; (c) indirect estimates of female adult mortality based on male widowhood data from the 1970, 1975, 1980, 1985, 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015 censuses; (d) intercensal survivorship from successive census age distributions have been considered.

Graphs: Adult mortality

Migration: International migration based on: (a) estimates of migrant flows, and assumed subsequent trends in international migration; (b) information on foreign-born populations from censuses and registers from major countries of destination; (c) estimates derived as the differences between overall population growth and natural increase; (d) UNHCR statistics on the number of refugees in the main countries of asylum.

Graphs: Total net migration

Disclaimer: This web site contains data tables, figures, maps, analyses and technical notes from the current revision of the World Population Prospects. These documents do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.