The population of Japan at the time of the Meiji Restoration was estimated to be 34,985,000 on January 1, 1873,Population of Japan after Meiji 5 compiled by the Cabinet Bureau of Statistics of Japan in 1930. while the official and de facto (or ) populations on the same day were 33,300,644 and 33,416,939, respectively. These were comparable to the population of the United Kingdom (31,000,000), France (38,000,000), and Austria-Hungary (38,000,000).
Japan proper Total population Meiji government established the uniformed registered system of in 1872, which is called .
Yearhonseki populationA-type de facto populationB-type de facto populationEstimated populationMar 8, 187233,110,79633,238,01134,806,000Jan 1, 187333,300,64433,416,93934,985,000Jan 1, 187433,625,64633,749,93235,154,000Jan 1, 187533,997,41533,997,25035,316,000Jan 1, 187634,338,36734,302,06835,555,000Jan 1, 187734,628,32835,870,000Jan 1, 187834,898,54036,166,000Jan 1, 187935,768,54736,464,000Jan 1, 188035,929,02336,649,000Jan 1, 188136,358,95536,965,000Jan 1, 188236,700,07937,259,000Jan 1, 188337,017,26237,569,000Jan 1, 188437,451,72737,687,64537,451,80037,962,000Jan 1, 188537,868,94937,975,06937,704,10038,313,000Jan 1, 188638,151,21738,276,37638,147,60038,541,000Dec 31, 188638,507,17738,833,41538,530,40038,703,000 (as of Jan 1, 1887)Dec 31, 188739,069,69139,510,14639,137,10039,029,000 (as of Jan 1, 1888)Dec 31, 188839,607,23440,105,47939,626,60039,473,000 (as of Jan 1, 1889)Dec 31, 188940,072,02040,692,80840,076,50039,902,000 (as of Jan 1, 1890)Dec 31, 189040,453,46140,968,83540,460,30040,251,000 (as of Jan 1, 1891)Dec 31, 189140,718,67741,268,73240,718,80040,508,000 (as of Jan 1, 1892)Dec 31, 189241,089,94041,696,84741,083,40040,860,000 (as of Jan 1, 1893)Dec 31, 189341,388,31342,060,97641,378,60041,142,000 (as of Jan 1, 1894)Dec 31, 189441,813,21542,430,98541,694,70041,557,000 (as of Jan 1, 1895)Dec 31, 189542,270,62043,048,22642,225,30041,992,000 (as of Jan 1, 1896)Dec 31, 189642,708,26443,499,83342,665,30042,400,000 (as of Jan 1, 1897)Dec 31, 189743,228,86343,978,49543,180,40042,886,000 (as of Jan 1, 1898)Dec 31, 189843,763,85545,403,04143,716,40043,404,000 (as of Jan 1, 1899)Dec 31, 189944,270,49544,269,90043,847,000 (as of Jan 1, 1900)Dec 31, 190044,825,59744,831,30044,359,000 (as of Jan 1, 1901)Dec 31, 190145,446,36945,404,70044,964,000 (as of Jan 1, 1902)Dec 31, 190246,041,76845,990,00045,546,000 (as of Jan 1, 1903)Dec 31, 190346,732,87648,542,73646,588,00046,135,000 (as of Jan 1, 1904)Dec 31, 190447,219,56647,197,60046,620,000 (as of Jan 1, 1905)Dec 31, 190547,678,39647,819,30047,038,000 (as of Jan 1, 1906)Dec 31, 190648,164,76148,451,10047,416,000 (as of Jan 1, 1907)Dec 31, 190748,819,63049,092,00047,965,000 (as of Jan 1, 1908)Dec 31, 190849,588,80451,742,48649,318,30048,554,000 (as of Jan 1, 1909)Dec 31, 190950,254,47150,011,70049,184,000 (as of Jan 1, 1910)Dec 31, 191050,984,84450,716,60049,852,000 (as of Jan 1, 1911)Dec 31, 191151,753,93451,435,40050,577,000 (as of Jan 1, 1912)Dec 31, 191252,522,75352,167,00051,305,000 (as of Jan 1, 1913)Dec 31, 191353,362,68255,131,27052,911,80052,039,000 (as of Jan 1, 1914)Dec 31, 191454,142,44153,668,60052,752,000 (as of Jan 1, 1915)Dec 31, 191554,935,75554,439,40053,496,000 (as of Jan 1, 1916)Dec 31, 191655,637,43155,224,50054,134,000 (as of Jan 1, 1917)Dec 31, 191756,335,97156,022,70054,739,000 (as of Jan 1, 1918)Dec 31, 191856,667,71158,087,27755,662,90055,033,000 (as of Jan 1, 1919)Dec 31, 191957,233,90656,253,20055,473,000 (as of Jan 1, 1920)
The first national census based on a full sampling of inhabitants was conducted in Japan in 1920 and was conducted every five years thereafter. Per the Statistics Bureau of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, the population distribution of Japan proper from 1920 to 1945 is as followsStatistics Bureau, The Population of Japan
Date Population % Change Area (km2) Density (km2) % Urban1920-10-01 55,963,053 NA 381,808.04 147 18.01925-10-01 59,736,822 6.7 381,810.06 156 21.61930-10-01 64,450,005 7.9 382,264.91 169 24.01935-10-01 69,254,148 7.5 382,545.42 181 32.71940-10-01 73,114,308 5.6 382,545.42 191 37.71945-11-01 71,998,104 -0.7 377,298.15 195 22.8
The above figures include Hokkaidō, the northernmost island; the central island of Honshū, site of the most important cities and industrial centers; and the smaller islands of Kyūshū, Shikoku, and Okinawa (except for the 1945 census values).
Total fertility rate from 1874 to 1950 The total fertility rate is the number of children born per woman. It is based on fairly good data for the entire period. Sources: Our World In Data and Gapminder Foundation.
Years 1874187518761877187818791880Total Fertility Rate in Japan3.523.74 3.753.673.583.553.59 Years 1881188218831884188518861887188818891890Total Fertility Rate in Japan3.773.673.963.83.984.044.044.434.544.18 Years 1891189218931894189518961897189818991900Total Fertility Rate in Japan3.994.44.264.354.364.514.664.724.734.69 Years 1901190219031904190519061907190819091910Total Fertility Rate in Japan5.014.974.834.614.524.385.035.135.165.01 Years 1911191219131914191519161917191819191920Total Fertility Rate in Japan5.195.085.075.144.914.984.954.834.775.35 Years 1921192219231924192519261927192819291930Total Fertility Rate in Japan5.225.125.265.075.225.1955.094.874.82 Years 1931193219331934193519361937193819391940Total Fertility Rate in Japan4.764.864.634.394.594.344.453.883.84.14 Years 1941194219431944194519461947194819491950Total Fertility Rate in Japan4.364.184.113.953.113.374.514.384.33.44
Date Population % Change Area (km2) Density (km2) % Urban1920-10-01 55,963,053 NA 381,808.04 147 18.01925-10-01 59,736,822 6.7 381,810.06 156 21.61930-10-01 64,450,005 7.9 382,264.91 169 24.01935-10-01 69,254,148 7.5 382,545.42 181 32.71940-10-01 73,114,308 5.6 382,545.42 191 37.71945-11-01 71,998,104 -0.7 377,298.15 195 22.8
The above figures include Hokkaidō, the northernmost island; the central island of Honshū, site of the most important cities and industrial centers; and the smaller islands of Kyūshū, Shikoku, and Okinawa (except for the 1945 census values).
Urban population In Japan proper, the population of major cities was as follows:
City or townJapaneseJan 1, 1873Dec 31, 1886Dec 31, 1889Dec 31, 1893Dec 31, 1898Dec 31, 1903Dec 31, 1908Dec 31, 1913Oct 1, 1920Oct 1, 1925Oct 1, 1930Oct 1, 1935Oct 1, 1940Feb 22, 1944Nov 1, 1945Tokyo595,9051,121,8831,389,6841,214,1131,440,1211,818,6552,186,0792,050,1262,173,2011,995,5672,070,5295,875,6676,778,8046,558,1612,777,010 Osaka271,992361,694476,271482,961821,235995,9451,226,6471,395,8231,252,9832,114,8042,452,5692,989,8743,252,3402,833,3441,102,959 Nagoya125,193131,492162,767194,796244,145288,639378,231452,043429,997768,558907,4021,082,8161,328,0841,344,100597,941 Yokohama64,60289,545121,985152,451193,762326,035394,303397,574422,938405,888620,296704,290968,0911,019,466624,994 Kyoto238,663245,675279,792317,270353,139380,568442,462509,380591,323679,963765,1421,010,5931,089,726964,466866,153 Kobe40,90080,446135,639153,382215,780285,002378,197442,167608,644644,212787,596912,179967,234918,032379,166 KawasakiPopulation in 1889 and 1893 excludes military residents and prisoners.3,1234,0315,0364,8965,6475,5647,23910,06021,39154,634104,346154,748300,777380,919180,042 Hiroshima74,30581,91488,82091,479122,306121,196142,763167,130160,510195,731270,365310,118343,968336,483137,197 FukuokaPopulation in 1873 includes those of Hakata (20,985) and Fukuoka (20,650). Population in 1879 includes those of Hakata (22,954) and Fukuoka (19,663).41,63542,61753,01458,18166,19071,04782,10697,30395,381146,005228,290291,158306,763324,499252,282 Yokosuka2,81013,25124,36624,36624,75036,95670,96485,47889,87996,351110,304182,871193,358298,132202,038 Miyahara/Washō/KurePopulation in 1889 excludes military residents and prisoners.//n. d.11,1607,33511,64821,55366,006100,679128,342130,362138,863190,265231,333238,195293,632152,184 Nagasaki29,65638,22955,06365,374107,422153,293176,480161,174176,534189,071204,179211,702252,630270,113142,748 Amagasaki12,40412,74213,58013,95515,06618,00619,88825,04538,46144,24150,06471,072181,011270,073153,051 Sendai51,99861,70990,23173,77183,325100,23197,944104,141118,984142,894190,177219,547223,630261,117238,250 Yahatan. d.n. d.3,0682,3093,0147,59222,76745,630100,235118,376168,218208,629261,309252,662151,378 Sasebon. d.n. d.8,00513,12237,48568,34493,05194,91487,02295,385133,172173,283205,989241,239147,617 Sapporo1,78515,04116,87627,69437,48255,30470,08496,924102,580145,065168,575196,541206,103225,842220,139 Sakai38,83844,01548,16546,13850,20354,04061,10367,70684,999105,009120,347141,286182,147217,939168,348 Shizuoka31,55536,83837,66437,09642,17248,74453,61464,10874,09384,772136,481200,737212,198211,666161,720 Kumamoto44,62044,38452,83362,43261,46359,71761,23368,16770,388147,174164,449187,382194,193211,011181,128 Akamazeki/Shimonoseki/18,50030,82529,91933,56542,78646,28558,25472,11772,30092,31798,549132,737196,022206,961155,623 Wakayama61,12454,86856,71355,72663,66768,52777,30377,68383,50095,622117,437179,732195,203205,396147,523 Hakodate28,82545,47752,90963,61978,04085,31387,87599,795144,749163,972197,252207,480203,862196,680181,531 Kanazawa109,68597,65394,25791,53183,66299,657110,994129,804129,265147,420157,309163,733186,297193,560200,584 Kagoshima27,24045,09757,46556,13953,48159,00163,64075,907103,180124,734137,232181,736190,257189,99193,698 Niigata33,15240,77846,35349,70053,36659,57661,61666,62292,130108,941125,106134,992150,903177,289174,170 Okayama32,37232,98948,33351,66558,02581,02593,42186,96194,585124,521139,221166,144163,552160,90292,861 Toyama44,68253,55658,15958,18759,55856,27557,43764,82261,81267,49075,09983,324127,859160,537100,775 Otaru3,90315,88212,62934,25956,96179,36191,28192,864108,113134,469144,884153,587164,282151,905145,510 Kōchi39,75730,98732,24134,71136,51135,51838,27939,16249,32965,72396,991103,405106,644136,699111,630 Tokushima48,86157,45661,10761,33761,50163,71065,56170,29268,45774,54590,62297,021119,581116,73480,681 Takamatsu32,73637,69832,08135,33034,41637,43042,57841,83746,55071,89779,90686,840111,207107,20272,656 Fukui39,78437,37640,84942,68044,28650,15550,39656,21856,63959,94364,19975,27394,59599,47745,559 Akita38,11829,22529,56828,22929,47734,35036,29436,56036,28143,88751,07060,64661,79197,361101,009 Matsue37,30833,38135,93435,40934,65135,08136,20938,63137,52741,39644,50252,03355,50654,28254,033 Hagi45,31821,20619,80419,27415,87718,11418,06917,12914,38633,22532,10632,58732,27030,96038,388 Shuri44,98425,58726,20525,35924,80923,82725,14124,10222,83820,58220,19919,30517,53717,964n.d.
In 1937 Japanese demographers projected the Japanese population in 1980 to reach 100,000,000, in accordance with observed growth rates.
Japanese overseas possessions Japan annexed Taiwan after the First Sino-Japanese War, while victory in the Russo-Japanese War gained Japan the Kwantung Leased Territory, Karafuto, and Chōsen. These acquisitions increased the area controlled by Japanese to .
The total population of the Empire of Japan, including Taiwan, Chōsen, and Karafuto was 64,940,034 on Dec 31, 1908, which could be broken down as follows:
Japan proper: 51,742,486 Chōsen: 9,918,566 Taiwan: 3,252,589 Karafuto: 26,393
And the population of concessions as of Dec 31, 1908, was as follows:
Kwantung: 427,117 South Manchuria Railway Zone: 28,307