Skip to content

Population in Japan compared to Lesotho: Trends, Charts, Rankings

Updated on by Georank

The latest officially reported population of Japan was 123,366,734 in 2025 vs 2,363,325 people in Lesotho in 2025. In 2026, based on the adjusted UN estimation, the current Japan's population is 122,704,252 people compared to 2,402,837 in Lesotho.

Population statistics:

  • Japan's population is 51.1 times bigger than Lesotho's.
  • Japan is ranked the 12th most populous country in the world, while Lesotho is the 143rd.
  • The countries together account for 1.51% of the world: 1.48% for Japan vs 0.03% for Lesotho.
  • For the last 10 years, Japan has had an average growth rate of -0.28% per year vs +1.17% in Lesotho.
  • Since 2006, the population of Japan has decreased from 128M people to 123M (4.03% decline), while Lesotho has grown from 1.95M to 2.4M (23.5% growth).

Japan vs Lesotho: population by year and forecast

Japan
Factual

Projection
Lesotho
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Population
Japan Lesotho
2100 76,995,942 3,280,518
2099 77,380,486 3,286,430
2098 77,759,557 3,292,231
2097 78,135,569 3,297,835
2096 78,515,892 3,302,758
2095 78,892,606 3,307,678
2094 79,267,768 3,311,734
2093 79,645,584 3,315,488
2092 80,025,578 3,319,391
2091 80,401,222 3,322,303
2090 80,778,500 3,324,499
2089 81,158,413 3,326,577
2088 81,539,639 3,328,210
2087 81,926,401 3,329,694
2086 82,322,612 3,330,185
2085 82,727,738 3,330,989
2084 83,141,354 3,331,214
2083 83,562,394 3,331,221
2082 83,998,809 3,330,964
2081 84,447,888 3,330,141
2080 84,918,455 3,328,997
2079 85,406,042 3,326,895
2078 85,916,840 3,324,376
2077 86,453,316 3,321,152
2076 87,012,155 3,317,581
2075 87,597,053 3,313,968
2074 88,209,803 3,308,905
2073 88,854,316 3,303,592
2072 89,519,055 3,297,913
2071 90,204,314 3,291,224
2070 90,919,143 3,283,387
2069 91,645,589 3,274,978
2068 92,388,299 3,265,887
2067 93,133,993 3,256,362
2066 93,889,902 3,246,639
2065 94,654,259 3,236,890
2064 95,412,429 3,226,227
2063 96,169,244 3,214,843
2062 96,924,236 3,202,027
2061 97,675,525 3,188,674
2060 98,422,553 3,174,740
2059 99,166,038 3,159,947
2058 99,890,950 3,144,797
2057 100,607,740 3,129,007
2056 101,318,164 3,112,877
2055 102,012,184 3,095,653
2054 102,706,063 3,078,317
2053 103,381,833 3,059,904
2052 104,059,800 3,040,402
2051 104,729,745 3,019,864
2050 105,400,477 2,999,214
2049 106,076,354 2,977,795
2048 106,754,699 2,955,487
2047 107,442,881 2,932,450
2046 108,139,155 2,909,071
2045 108,844,934 2,885,303
2044 109,553,441 2,861,140
2043 110,269,851 2,836,547
2042 110,992,599 2,811,435
2041 111,729,216 2,785,921
2040 112,463,507 2,760,167
2039 113,200,859 2,734,178
2038 113,940,856 2,707,996
2037 114,687,611 2,681,646
2036 115,436,359 2,654,540
2035 116,187,949 2,627,488
2034 116,936,734 2,600,669
2033 117,678,572 2,573,856
2032 118,419,247 2,547,137
2031 119,153,646 2,520,626
2030 119,882,512 2,494,444
2029 120,600,781 2,468,067
2028 121,314,239 2,441,673
2027 122,015,984 2,415,634
2026 122,704,252 2,389,322
2025 123,366,734 2,363,325
2024 123,975,371 2,337,423
2023 124,516,650 2,311,472
2022 125,124,989 2,286,110
2021 125,681,593 2,261,542
2020 126,261,000 2,235,727
2019 126,633,000 2,209,405
2018 126,811,000 2,183,603
2017 126,972,000 2,157,110
2016 127,076,000 2,130,422
2015 127,141,000 2,104,611
2014 127,276,000 2,080,089
2013 127,445,000 2,056,504
2012 127,629,000 2,034,354
2011 127,833,000 2,014,009
2010 128,070,000 1,996,251
2009 128,047,000 1,980,883
2008 128,063,000 1,966,541
2007 128,001,000 1,953,268
2006 127,854,000 1,945,063
2005 127,773,000 1,953,076
2004 127,761,000 1,971,129
2003 127,718,000 1,985,059
2002 127,445,000 1,994,679
2001 127,149,000 2,000,853
2000 126,843,000 2,003,913
1999 126,631,000 2,003,234
1998 126,400,000 1,998,049
1997 126,057,000 1,988,130
1996 125,757,000 1,972,418
1995 125,472,000 1,951,437
1994 125,178,000 1,927,707
1993 124,829,000 1,901,793
1992 124,425,000 1,873,274
1991 123,964,000 1,842,379
1990 123,478,000 1,809,696
1989 123,069,000 1,775,436
1988 122,578,000 1,739,841
1987 122,069,000 1,703,390
1986 121,482,000 1,666,138
1985 120,837,000 1,624,379
1984 120,083,000 1,578,986
1983 119,307,000 1,534,413
1982 118,480,000 1,490,732
1981 117,661,000 1,448,069
1980 116,807,000 1,406,521
1979 115,890,000 1,366,169
1978 114,913,000 1,327,240
1977 113,872,000 1,289,967
1976 112,775,000 1,253,214
1975 111,573,000 1,213,643
1974 110,162,000 1,172,420
1973 108,707,000 1,132,697
1972 107,188,000 1,094,063
1971 105,697,000 1,056,246
1970 103,403,000 1,019,273
1969 102,219,000 983,202
1968 101,011,000 948,105
1967 99,879,000 913,982
1966 98,851,000 881,870
1965 97,952,000 854,090
1964 96,903,000 829,437
1963 95,900,000 805,373
1962 94,933,000 781,814
1961 94,055,000 758,824
1960 93,216,000 736,500

Data sources: United Nations | World Population Prospects (2026–2100, retrieved 2026-07-08); World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08).

GeoRank.org/population/japan/lesotho | CC BY

From 2006 to 2016, the population of Japan decreased by 778,000 people (a 0.61% decline), while Lesotho gained 185,359 people (a 9.53% growth).

For the next 10 years, from 2016 to 2026, Japan lost 4,371,748 people (a 3.44% decline), while Lesotho's population increased by 272,415 people (a 12.8% growth).

Japan was ranked 10th most populous country in 2006 and is 12th in 2026. Lesotho was ranked 144th in 2006 and ranked 143rd now.

The UN's World Population Prospects forecasts that in 24 years (in 2050) Japan's population will shrink by 14.1% to 105,400,477 people with a rank change from 12th to 17th. The population of Lesotho will increase by 24.8% to 2,999,214 people and rank change from 143rd to 141st.

Lesotho is projected to reach its peak in 2083 at 3.33M people, while Japan's population already peaked in 2010 at 128M people and is projected to decrease to 77M people by 2100.

Population growth rate by year

Japan
Factual

Projection
Lesotho
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Growth rate
Japan Lesotho
2100 -0.5% -0.18%
2099 -0.49% -0.18%
2098 -0.48% -0.17%
2097 -0.48% -0.15%
2096 -0.48% -0.15%
2095 -0.47% -0.12%
2094 -0.47% -0.11%
2093 -0.47% -0.12%
2092 -0.47% -0.09%
2091 -0.47% -0.07%
2090 -0.47% -0.06%
2089 -0.47% -0.05%
2088 -0.47% -0.04%
2087 -0.48% -0.01%
2086 -0.49% -0.02%
2085 -0.5% -0.007%
2084 -0.5% -0%
2083 -0.52% 0.008%
2082 -0.53% 0.02%
2081 -0.55% 0.03%
2080 -0.57% 0.06%
2079 -0.59% 0.08%
2078 -0.62% 0.1%
2077 -0.64% 0.11%
2076 -0.67% 0.11%
2075 -0.69% 0.15%
2074 -0.73% 0.16%
2073 -0.74% 0.17%
2072 -0.76% 0.2%
2071 -0.79% 0.24%
2070 -0.79% 0.26%
2069 -0.8% 0.28%
2068 -0.8% 0.29%
2067 -0.81% 0.3%
2066 -0.81% 0.3%
2065 -0.79% 0.33%
2064 -0.79% 0.35%
2063 -0.78% 0.4%
2062 -0.77% 0.42%
2061 -0.76% 0.44%
2060 -0.75% 0.47%
2059 -0.73% 0.48%
2058 -0.71% 0.5%
2057 -0.7% 0.52%
2056 -0.68% 0.56%
2055 -0.68% 0.56%
2054 -0.65% 0.6%
2053 -0.65% 0.64%
2052 -0.64% 0.68%
2051 -0.64% 0.69%
2050 -0.64% 0.72%
2049 -0.64% 0.75%
2048 -0.64% 0.79%
2047 -0.64% 0.8%
2046 -0.65% 0.82%
2045 -0.65% 0.84%
2044 -0.65% 0.87%
2043 -0.65% 0.89%
2042 -0.66% 0.92%
2041 -0.65% 0.93%
2040 -0.65% 0.95%
2039 -0.65% 0.97%
2038 -0.65% 0.98%
2037 -0.65% 1.02%
2036 -0.65% 1.03%
2035 -0.64% 1.03%
2034 -0.63% 1.04%
2033 -0.63% 1.05%
2032 -0.62% 1.05%
2031 -0.61% 1.05%
2030 -0.6% 1.07%
2029 -0.59% 1.08%
2028 -0.58% 1.08%
2027 -0.56% 1.1%
2026 -0.54% 1.1%
2025 -0.49% 1.11%
2024 -0.43% 1.12%
2023 -0.49% 1.11%
2022 -0.44% 1.09%
2021 -0.46% 1.15%
2020 -0.29% 1.19%
2019 -0.14% 1.18%
2018 -0.13% 1.23%
2017 -0.08% 1.25%
2016 -0.05% 1.23%
2015 -0.11% 1.18%
2014 -0.13% 1.15%
2013 -0.14% 1.09%
2012 -0.16% 1.01%
2011 -0.19% 0.89%
2010 0.02% 0.78%
2009 -0.01% 0.73%
2008 0.05% 0.68%
2007 0.11% 0.42%
2006 0.06% -0.41%
2005 0.009% -0.92%
2004 0.03% -0.7%
2003 0.21% -0.48%
2002 0.23% -0.31%
2001 0.24% -0.15%
2000 0.17% 0.03%
1999 0.18% 0.26%
1998 0.27% 0.5%
1997 0.24% 0.8%
1996 0.23% 1.08%
1995 0.23% 1.23%
1994 0.28% 1.36%
1993 0.32% 1.52%
1992 0.37% 1.68%
1991 0.39% 1.81%
1990 0.33% 1.93%
1989 0.4% 2.05%
1988 0.42% 2.14%
1987 0.48% 2.24%
1986 0.53% 2.57%
1985 0.63% 2.87%
1984 0.65% 2.9%
1983 0.7% 2.93%
1982 0.7% 2.95%
1981 0.73% 2.95%
1980 0.79% 2.95%
1979 0.85% 2.93%
1978 0.91% 2.89%
1977 0.97% 2.93%
1976 1.08% 3.26%
1975 1.28% 3.52%
1974 1.34% 3.51%
1973 1.42% 3.53%
1972 1.41% 3.58%
1971 2.22% 3.63%
1970 1.16% 3.67%
1969 1.2% 3.7%
1968 1.13% 3.73%
1967 1.04% 3.64%
1966 0.92% 3.25%
1965 1.08% 2.97%
1964 1.05% 2.99%
1963 1.02% 3.01%
1962 0.93% 3.03%
1961 0.9% 3.03%

Data sources: United Nations | World Population Prospects (2026–2100, retrieved 2026-07-08); World Bank | Health (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08).

GeoRank.org/population/japan/lesotho | CC BY

In 2025, the population of Japan declined by 0.49%, while Lesotho's population grew by 1.11%.

Live population counters

Japan Lesotho
Current population
122704252
2402837
Population rank 12/197 143/197
Percent of world population 1.48% 0.03%
One net population change
52 seconds
20.3 minutes
One birth every
44.6 seconds
9.46 minutes
One death every
19.1 seconds
21.5 minutes
Daily growth/decline -1,667 +71
Annual growth/decline -608,637 +25,902
Annual growth/decline rate -0.49% +1.11%
Population growth rate rank 183/197 94/197
One migration net change every
3.75 minutes
1.69 hours
Annual migration change +140,579 -5,192
Net migration rank 10/196 117/196
Foreign-born residents 3,409,529 15,039
Foreign-born residents rank 19/195 173/195
Foreign-born share of population 2.8% 0.6%
Foreign-born share rank 120/195 170/195

Natural population change vs migration

Japan
Natural

Migration
Lesotho
Natural

Migration
1x
Year Population change
Japan Lesotho
Natural Migration Natural Migration
2025 - 140,579 - -5,192
2024 -942,213 153,357 31,050 -5,107
2023 -871,617 175,003 31,115 -5,168
2022 -825,825 175,003 30,803 -6,023
2021 -640,976 -34,996 27,806 -3,449
2020 -542,923 42,001 30,721 -3,449
2019 -531,858 318,190 32,279 -6,896
2018 -456,520 320,601 33,112 -6,892
2017 -406,310 322,564 33,601 -6,850
2016 -343,106 314,732 33,390 -6,766
2015 -292,424 168,896 32,087 -7,087
2014 -267,279 58,109 30,922 -6,877
2013 -242,146 66,449 29,789 -6,659
2012 -229,733 67,904 27,592 -6,425
2011 -204,533 97,720 25,647 -6,118
2010 -128,070 131,860 21,877 -5,886
2009 -76,828 125,450 20,335 -5,599
2008 -51,225 142,605 19,349 -5,392
2007 -25,600 138,024 17,763 -5,179
2006 12,785 130,065 15,234 -11,416
2005 -25,554 113,017 15,831 -35,679
2004 76,656 69,014 17,271 -33,530
2003 114,946 74,875 20,133 -31,723
2002 178,423 60,864 22,274 -29,924
2001 203,438 59,563 23,190 -27,874
2000 228,317 23,468 24,786 -26,220
1999 202,610 56,901 27,393 -24,610
1998 265,440 45,912 30,889 -23,299
1997 277,325 43,366 34,637 -22,396
1996 314,392 25,030 36,228 -17,042
1995 276,039 87,714 37,370 -14,588
1994 363,017 154,214 38,629 -13,953
1993 312,073 168,836 40,505 -13,347
1992 360,833 170,878 42,579 -12,707
1991 396,685 161,331 44,026 -12,114
1990 407,478 124,582 45,060 -11,598
1989 467,662 31,202 46,264 -11,207
1988 527,085 51,154 47,158 -11,028
1987 598,138 28,001 47,718 -10,946
1986 631,706 27,987 45,232 -7,501
1985 676,687 -141,323 44,575 1,222
1984 756,523 -273,686 43,785 1,199
1983 775,495 -269,755 42,899 1,253
1982 805,664 -288,550 41,941 1,281
1981 811,861 -278,525 40,808 1,307
1980 864,372 -92,314 39,617 1,361
1979 950,298 -57,692 38,440 1,285
1978 1,011,234 -47,996 37,084 1,047
1977 1,070,397 -49,082 35,654 746
1976 1,127,750 -34,976 34,117 2,986
1975 1,204,989 107 32,311 9,723
1974 1,332,960 -10,145 30,444 9,972
1973 1,391,449 -34,674 28,859 10,183
1972 1,372,006 -73,980 27,841 10,386
1971 1,331,782 -107,778 26,838 10,563
1970 1,230,496 33,731 25,935 10,605
1969 1,195,962 49,447 25,137 10,465
1968 1,191,930 43,593 24,490 10,108
1967 1,258,475 29,632 23,911 9,734
1966 682,072 68,934 23,326 7,248
1965 1,126,448 -50,667 22,755 2,239
1964 1,046,553 -100,696 22,116 2,198
1963 987,770 -100,742 21,585 2,220
1962 901,864 -57,075 21,132 2,172
1961 893,522 -58,882 20,581 2,100
1960 894,874 -150,371 19,981 1,989

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08).

GeoRank.org/population/japan/lesotho | CC BY

Over the last 10 years, 75% of the population change in Japan is from natural causes (a loss of 5,853,772 people) and 25% is from migration (a gain of 1,955,351 people). In Lesotho 84.6% is from natural causes (a gain of 315,964 people) and 15.4% is from migration (a loss of 57,687 people).

As of 2024, 3,409,529 residents or 2.8% of the population were not native-born in Japan, compared to 15,039 people or 0.6% in Lesotho.

Biggest cities by population

Japan
City Population
Tokyo 14.3M
Yokohama 3.76M
Osaka 2.75M
Nagoya 2.33M
Sapporo 1.96M
Fukuoka 1.6M
Kawasaki 1.54M
Kobe 1.52M
Kyoto 1.46M
Saitama 1.33M
Lesotho
City Population
Maseru 344K
Teyateyaneng 75.1K
Mafeteng 57.1K
Butha-Buthe 10K

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Population map with other countries

1x

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2026, retrieved 2026-07-08); U.S. Census Bureau (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-07-08).

GeoRank.org/population/japan/lesotho | CC BY

Help us show the world through your eyes

Share a photo of your city and help others discover what it looks like to live there. Your contribution makes our data come alive.

Data sources:

  1. World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  2. United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2100, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  3. U.S. Census Bureau (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  4. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  5. Wikidata (2026, retrieved 2026-07-08)

Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) — you’re free to copy, share, remix, adapt, and use even commercially as long as you give appropriate credit and clearly indicate if you made changes. Other sources may be subject to different license terms.