Japan

Did you know

In 2023 the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan counted 14,125 islands, double the old figure of 6,852. (source)

Elders in numbers

The third Monday of September is Respect for the Aged Day, a national holiday honouring older people and their long lives. (source)

of people are 65 or older

30%

people aged 65 or older

37M

will be 65 or older in 2050

37.5%

is how long people live after 60, on average

26 years

of people 65+ live alone

19.7%

women 22.6%, men 16.1%

of people 65+ live in collective quarters: care homes, hospitals, hostels and the like

17%

Sources: World Bank, 2025; World Bank projection for 2050; WHO, 2023; UN, 2020; UN, 2005 census

Compare with the world

Languages

21 languages, 17 of them endangered

• Hokkaido AinuCritically endangered
• OrokCritically endangered
• KikaiSeverely endangered
• Koniya Sign LanguageSeverely endangered
• KunigamiSeverely endangered
• MiyakoSeverely endangered
• Northern Amami ŌshimaSeverely endangered
• OkinawanSeverely endangered
• OkinoerabuSeverely endangered
• Southern Amami ŌshimaSeverely endangered
• TokunoshimaSeverely endangered
• YonaguniSeverely endangered

Languages and their status: Glottolog v5.3, CC BY 4.0. Names: Wikidata.

UNESCO intangible heritage

• Traditional skills, techniques and knowledge for the conservation and transmission of wooden architecture in Japan2025
• Yama, Hoko, Yatai, float festivals in Japan2025
• Washi, craftsmanship of traditional Japanese hand-made paper2025
• Traditional knowledge and skills of sake-making with koji mold in Japan2024
• Furyu-odori, ritual dances imbued with people’s hopes and prayers2022
• Raiho-shin, ritual visits of deities in masks and costumes2018
• Washoku, traditional dietary cultures of the Japanese, notably for the celebration of New Year2013
• Nachi no Dengaku, a religious performing art held at the Nachi fire festival2012

List and years: ich.unesco.org