Japan's Elderly Population Hits Record 29.6%

Sep 21, 2026 | News On Japan

TOKYO - People aged 65 and older accounted for a record 29.6% of Japan's population in 2026, the highest proportion among major countries worldwide, while the number of elderly people in employment also reached an all-time high as Japan marked Respect for the Aged Day on September 21.

According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Japan's population aged 65 and older was estimated at 36.24 million as of September 15, an increase of 20,000 from 2025.

Their share of the total population rose to a record 29.6%.

Among 39 countries with populations exceeding 40 million, Japan had by far the highest proportion of residents aged 65 or older. Italy ranked second at 25.6%, followed by Germany at 24.2%.

The number of people aged 65 and older who were working reached a record 9.43 million, marking the 22nd consecutive annual increase.

The employment rate among elderly people stood at 26%, meaning roughly one in four people aged 65 and older remained in the workforce.

日本の高齢者人口、過去最高の29.6％に

2026年、日本の65歳以上の人口は全体の29.6％と過去最高を記録し、主要国の中で最も高い割合となった。就業する高齢者の数も過去最多となり、9月21日の敬老の日にあわせて高齢化の進行が改めて浮き彫りとなった。

日本老年人口占比创纪录达29.6%

2026年，日本65岁及以上人口占总人口的29.6%，创历史新高，在主要国家中位居首位。与此同时，就业老年人口也创下历史新高，相关数据在9月21日敬老日之际公布。

Source: FNN

Typhoon No. 26 Threatens Daito Islands Before Approaching Izu Islands

Typhoon No. 26 (Surigae) remained very strong as it moved northeast near the Daito Islands on September 28, bringing the threat of violent winds, high waves and torrential rain, with the storm located approximately 130 kilometers northwest of Minamidaito Island at 5 a.m. and moving northeast at 15 kilometers per hour ahead of an expected approach to the southern Izu Islands on Thursday, October 1.

Onosato Wins Autumn Grand Sumo in Dramatic Showdown

Yokozuna Onosato captured his sixth career championship at the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament on September 27, defeating Ukrainian ozeki Aonishiki in a winner-takes-all showdown at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan to finish the 15-day competition with 12 wins and three losses, ending a year-long title drought after a dramatic final weekend.

Fire Breaks Out at Nagoya's MIRAI TOWER

A fire broke out at the observation deck of Chubu Electric Power MIRAI TOWER in central Nagoya on Saturday, prompting 30 visitors to evacuate, although no injuries were reported.

Asian Games Day 7: Japan Takes Four Skateboarding Medals

Japan's teenage skateboarders delivered two gold medals and two bronze medals on September 25, with 15-year-olds Mizuho Hasegawa and Ian Nagahara winning the women's and men's park competitions at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.

10-Vehicle Pileup Closes Kobe Expressway

A major traffic accident involving 10 vehicles, including trucks and passenger cars, left one man seriously injured and nine others with minor injuries on the Daini Shinmei Road in Kobe on September 24, forcing the closure of part of the expressway.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

Father Arrested for Throwing Kids From Sixth-Floor Balcony

A 25-year-old father has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after allegedly throwing his two young daughters from the sixth-floor balcony of an apartment building in Kakamigahara, Gifu Prefecture, in the early hours of September 26, with police investigating whether a dispute between the suspect and his wife was behind the incident.

76-Year-Old Man Turns Himself In After Setting Fire to Home

A 76-year-old man was arrested on September 27 on suspicion of arson after a fire destroyed approximately 560 square meters of a wooden apartment building in Osaka's Higashiyodogawa Ward, prompting the dispatch of 52 fire engines and taking around nine hours to extinguish.

Princess Aiko Attends World Medical Laboratory Congress

Princess Aiko, the only daughter of Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, attended the opening ceremony of the World Congress of Medical Laboratory Science in Chiba, where she expressed condolences to victims of recent natural disasters and called for a swift recovery in affected areas.

10-Vehicle Pileup Closes Kobe Expressway

Late-Night Chaos Keeps Shibuya Police Busy

Police in Tokyo's Shibuya district are dealing with a steady stream of thefts, drunken altercations and late-night accidents, including a 17-year-old boy who stole a sleeping man's bag on a whim, a dispute outside a karaoke bar and an injured man who lost his memory after a night of drinking.

Man Robbed of ¥1 Million and Shoes While Resting in Osaka Park

Two men robbed a man in his 30s of a bag containing 1 million yen in cash and his shoes in Osaka City before dawn on September 24, leaving him with minor injuries after pushing him to the ground.

Body Found on Island May Be Missing 6-Year-Old Boy

Police in Yamagata Prefecture are working to identify a body found on the coast of a remote island on September 23, the 19th day since a 6-year-old boy went missing in Sakata, after discovering that the body was dressed in clothing similar to the Spider-Man outfit the child was wearing when he disappeared.

Escaped Emu Captured After Report of Wandering Ostrich

An emu that escaped from the home of a traveling zoo operator was captured after wandering through a residential neighborhood in Moriyama, Shiga Prefecture, on September 23, following a police report from a resident who mistook the bird for an ostrich.

< 2 3 4 5 >