Share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents in Japan
Japan: Share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents was 51.1% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents in Japan, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Japan recorded 51.1% for share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents in 2020. That is the highest value across all 15 years on record.
That represents a change of up 4.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents in Japan peaked at 51.1% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 26.4%, in 1950.
That places Japan 10th out of 180 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents in Japan, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 26.4% | — |
| 1955 | 29.8% | +13.0% |
| 1960 | 35.7% | +19.8% |
| 1965 | 39.8% | +11.4% |
| 1970 | 42.9% | +7.7% |
| 1975 | 45.1% | +5.3% |
| 1980 | 45.4% | +0.6% |
| 1985 | 45.8% | +1.0% |
| 1990 | 47.5% | +3.7% |
| 1995 | 47.7% | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 47.5% | -0.5% |
| 2005 | 48.0% | +1.0% |
| 2010 | 48.9% | +1.8% |
| 2015 | 50.3% | +2.9% |
| 2020 | 51.1% | +1.6% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 51.1% is above the median for high income countries, which is 15.3%, 3.4× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Japan's 51.1% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 21.4%, 2.4× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 28.1% | 26.4% | 29.8% | 2 |
| 1960s | 37.7% | 35.7% | 39.8% | 2 |
| 1970s | 44.0% | 42.9% | 45.1% | 2 |
| 1980s | 45.6% | 45.4% | 45.8% | 2 |
| 1990s | 47.6% | 47.5% | 47.7% | 2 |
| 2000s | 47.8% | 47.5% | 48.0% | 2 |
| 2010s | 49.6% | 48.9% | 50.3% | 2 |
| 2020s | 51.1% | 51.1% | 51.1% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Japan
- 7 Taiwan 62.6% compare
- 8 South Korea 59.6% compare
- 9 Jordan 56.7% compare
- 11 Saudi Arabia 48.4% compare
- 12 United Arab Emirates 46.8% compare
- 13 Mongolia 44.5% compare
More reference data data for Japan
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.19 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.981 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 4.49 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.3629 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 4.49 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 3.98 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 4.16 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 5.57 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 23.74 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.98 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents in Japan?
- Share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents in Japan was 51.1% in 2020, according to European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 51.1% in 2020.
- What is the lowest share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 26.4% in 1950.
- How does Japan rank for share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents?
- Japan ranks 10th out of 180 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Percentage of the total population living in cities with 1 million or more people. City boundaries are defined using a consistent global approach based on satellite imagery and population data.