Japan’s population is shrinking at an accelerating rate, but the nationalist prime minister is making it harder for foreigners to live there

Written and edited by the WorldPing NewsdeskPublished Updated Original reporting: Fortune
Japan’s population is shrinking at an accelerating rate, but the nationalist prime minister is making it harder for foreigners to live thereWorldPing
Image via Fortune.

What happened

The latest five-year census showed the number of Japanese nationals declined by 3.5% to 119.1 million in 2025, following a 1.4% drop in the 2020 count.

Key facts

  • The latest five-year census showed the number of Japanese nationals declined by 3.5% to 119.1 million in 2025, following a 1.4% drop in the 2020 count.
  • Reported by Fortune and published Sun, 04 Oct 2026 23:02:54 UTC.

Why it matters

Economic releases and corporate results feed directly into rate expectations, currency moves and equity pricing, so the detail here often matters more to markets than the headline itself.

What to watch next

  • Revisions to the initial figures once fuller data is released
  • How rate expectations and index futures respond
  • Guidance or commentary from the companies and policymakers involved

Coverage timeline

When each newsroom published on this story, oldest first — all times UTC.

  1. Retailers are making returns harder. A carpet seller taught me why that’s a mistake | Gene Marks

  2. Japan’s population is shrinking at an accelerating rate, but the nationalist prime minister is making it harder for foreigners to live there

Sources

The original report was published by Fortune. WorldPing does not claim that reporting — this page summarises and contextualises it.

Read the full report at Fortune

Related WorldPing coverage

Deutsche Welle
WorldPing
Deutsche Welle

Nationalists top Bosnia-Herzegovina's divisive election

Bosnia-Herzegovina's three-member presidency is set to be dominated by nationalists from the three major ethnic groups, including Zeljka ​Cvijanovic, backed by disqualified Serb secessionist leader Milorad Dodik.

Brief by WorldPing · Original reporting by Deutsche Welle

Bosnian Serb nationalist Dodik declares party victory in Bosnia electionWorldPing
The Guardian

Bosnian Serb nationalist Dodik declares party victory in Bosnia election

Staunchly pro-Russia politician has dominated campaign and inflamed divisions despite not appearing on ballot Bosnian Serb nationalist politician Milorad Dodik has declared victory for his party in an election in Bosnia shaped by economic pressures,…

Brief by WorldPing · Original reporting by The Guardian