Japan's Population Falls Below 120 Million. Tokyo's Latest Fix? AI-Powered Matchmaking

Published 30 July 2026 · world

Japan's Population Falls Below 120 Million. Tokyo's Latest Fix? AI-Powered Matchmaking Published By, Last Updated: July 30, 2026, 13:17 IST Government data showed that the

Japan's Population Falls Below 120 Million. Tokyo's Latest Fix? AI-Powered Matchmaking Published By, Last Updated: July 30, 2026, 13:17 IST Government data showed that the number of Japanese citizens living in the country fell to 119.74 million as of January 1, down 0.76 per cent from a year earlier. Japan is grappling with labour shortages, rising pension and healthcare costs and a shrinking taxpayer base. Japan’s population slipped below 120 million for the first time in 42 years, highlighting the country’s deepening demographic crisis as falling birth rates and a rapidly ageing population continue to reshape the world’s fourth-largest economy. Government data showed that the number of Japanese citizens living in the country fell to 119.74 million as of January 1, down 0.76 per cent from a year earlier.

It marks the 17th consecutive annual decline since the population peaked in 2009. Including foreign residents, Japan’s total population stands at 123.8 million. Interestingly, the number of foreign residents has reached its highest level since records began in 2013, partly offsetting the overall decline. Why Is Japan’s Population Shrinking? Japan has one of the world’s oldest societies, with a median age of 49.9 years, second only to Monaco, according to the World Bank. The country’s fertility rate has also continued to slide. Government figures released in June showed the total fertility rate fell to a record low of 1.14 children per woman in 2025, far below the replacement level of around 2.1 needed to maintain a stable population.

The number of babies born also dropped to just over 670,000, the lowest since official records began in 1899. This comes as Japan is grappling with labour shortages, rising pension and healthcare costs and a shrinking taxpayer base, making it increasingly difficult to sustain long-term growth. Can AI Help Japan Find Love? In an unconventional attempt to tackle the problem, the Tokyo metropolitan government turned to artificial intelligence. Its AI-powered matchmaking platform, TOKYO Enmusubi, launched in September 2024 to encourage marriage among residents who were interested but not actively seeking partners. Unlike traditional dating apps, users must verify that they are legally single and complete an online interview before joining. The experiment has shown early signs of success.

As of June 30, the platform had 16,000 registered members, narrowed down from roughly 36,000 applicants and had helped create 760 couples in serious relationships. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location: Japan First Published: July 30, 2026, 13:17 IST News world Japan's Population Falls Below 120 Million. Tokyo's Latest Fix? AI-Powered Matchmaking Disclaimer: Comments reflect users’ views, not News18’s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments...