Skip to content

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

Updated on by Georank

The latest officially reported population of Japan was 123,366,734 in 2025 vs 14,569,341 people in Rwanda in 2025. In 2026, based on the adjusted UN estimation, the current Japan's population is 122,704,252 people compared to 15,062,056 in Rwanda.

Population statistics:

  • Japan's population is 8.15 times bigger than Rwanda's.
  • Japan is ranked the 12th most populous country in the world, while Rwanda is the 77th.
  • The countries together account for 1.66% of the world: 1.48% for Japan vs 0.18% for Rwanda.
  • For the last 10 years, Japan has had an average growth rate of -0.28% per year vs +2.28% in Rwanda.
  • Since 2006, the population of Japan has decreased from 128M people to 123M (4.03% decline), while Rwanda has grown from 9.3M to 15.1M (62% growth).

Japan vs Rwanda: population by year and forecast

Japan
Factual

Projection
Rwanda
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Population
Japan Rwanda
2100 76,995,942 33,113,283
2099 77,380,486 33,008,545
2098 77,759,557 32,927,982
2097 78,135,569 32,853,307
2096 78,515,892 32,768,037
2095 78,892,606 32,635,508
2094 79,267,768 32,550,001
2093 79,645,584 32,416,870
2092 80,025,578 32,294,333
2091 80,401,222 32,191,262
2090 80,778,500 32,088,747
2089 81,158,413 31,892,591
2088 81,539,639 31,746,789
2087 81,926,401 31,553,150
2086 82,322,612 31,399,004
2085 82,727,738 31,254,597
2084 83,141,354 31,112,448
2083 83,562,394 30,937,106
2082 83,998,809 30,752,861
2081 84,447,888 30,576,992
2080 84,918,455 30,386,351
2079 85,406,042 30,195,560
2078 85,916,840 30,016,688
2077 86,453,316 29,819,259
2076 87,012,155 29,645,610
2075 87,597,053 29,441,964
2074 88,209,803 29,243,980
2073 88,854,316 29,025,977
2072 89,519,055 28,798,822
2071 90,204,314 28,578,302
2070 90,919,143 28,334,300
2069 91,645,589 28,121,174
2068 92,388,299 27,872,383
2067 93,133,993 27,609,059
2066 93,889,902 27,372,823
2065 94,654,259 27,101,698
2064 95,412,429 26,838,144
2063 96,169,244 26,559,838
2062 96,924,236 26,312,631
2061 97,675,525 26,001,660
2060 98,422,553 25,729,037
2059 99,166,038 25,453,407
2058 99,890,950 25,121,995
2057 100,607,740 24,853,512
2056 101,318,164 24,582,198
2055 102,012,184 24,281,895
2054 102,706,063 23,991,958
2053 103,381,833 23,705,290
2052 104,059,800 23,421,032
2051 104,729,745 23,113,700
2050 105,400,477 22,814,556
2049 106,076,354 22,498,806
2048 106,754,699 22,171,841
2047 107,442,881 21,848,486
2046 108,139,155 21,554,082
2045 108,844,934 21,228,573
2044 109,553,441 20,915,810
2043 110,269,851 20,548,490
2042 110,992,599 20,214,283
2041 111,729,216 19,845,021
2040 112,463,507 19,475,227
2039 113,200,859 19,108,842
2038 113,940,856 18,773,398
2037 114,687,611 18,433,422
2036 115,436,359 18,128,058
2035 116,187,949 17,765,049
2034 116,936,734 17,432,165
2033 117,678,572 17,100,072
2032 118,419,247 16,822,053
2031 119,153,646 16,495,903
2030 119,882,512 16,178,061
2029 120,600,781 15,868,812
2028 121,314,239 15,554,713
2027 122,015,984 15,217,275
2026 122,704,252 14,898,118
2025 123,366,734 14,569,341
2024 123,975,371 14,256,567
2023 124,516,650 13,954,471
2022 125,124,989 13,651,030
2021 125,681,593 13,355,260
2020 126,261,000 13,065,837
2019 126,633,000 12,776,103
2018 126,811,000 12,487,996
2017 126,972,000 12,202,060
2016 127,076,000 11,919,183
2015 127,141,000 11,640,022
2014 127,276,000 11,364,757
2013 127,445,000 11,093,340
2012 127,629,000 10,829,901
2011 127,833,000 10,573,733
2010 128,070,000 10,317,553
2009 128,047,000 10,060,432
2008 128,063,000 9,804,269
2007 128,001,000 9,549,933
2006 127,854,000 9,299,246
2005 127,773,000 9,054,528
2004 127,761,000 8,816,844
2003 127,718,000 8,586,875
2002 127,445,000 8,400,180
2001 127,149,000 8,287,094
2000 126,843,000 8,213,931
1999 126,631,000 8,147,912
1998 126,400,000 8,081,681
1997 126,057,000 7,755,238
1996 125,757,000 6,708,764
1995 125,472,000 5,674,118
1994 125,178,000 6,792,352
1993 124,829,000 7,981,132
1992 124,425,000 7,683,266
1991 123,964,000 7,526,966
1990 123,478,000 7,375,307
1989 123,069,000 7,184,706
1988 122,578,000 6,968,071
1987 122,069,000 6,749,493
1986 121,482,000 6,531,881
1985 120,837,000 6,317,228
1984 120,083,000 6,107,627
1983 119,307,000 5,905,311
1982 118,480,000 5,711,549
1981 117,661,000 5,527,230
1980 116,807,000 5,353,259
1979 115,890,000 5,189,541
1978 114,913,000 5,035,171
1977 113,872,000 4,888,240
1976 112,775,000 4,745,954
1975 111,573,000 4,607,728
1974 110,162,000 4,474,228
1973 108,707,000 4,345,047
1972 107,188,000 4,220,335
1971 105,697,000 4,100,044
1970 103,403,000 3,980,669
1969 102,219,000 3,861,271
1968 101,011,000 3,744,010
1967 99,879,000 3,629,577
1966 98,851,000 3,521,626
1965 97,952,000 3,423,210
1964 96,903,000 3,334,834
1963 95,900,000 3,258,890
1962 94,933,000 3,186,025
1961 94,055,000 3,106,779
1960 93,216,000 3,022,294

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/rwanda | CC BY

From 2006 to 2016, the population of Japan decreased by 778,000 people (a 0.61% decline), while Rwanda gained 2,619,937 people (a 28.2% growth).

For the next 10 years, from 2016 to 2026, Japan lost 4,371,748 people (a 3.44% decline), while Rwanda's population increased by 3,142,873 people (a 26.4% growth).

Japan was ranked 10th most populous country in 2006 and is 12th in 2026. Rwanda was ranked 86th in 2006 and ranked 77th 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 Rwanda will increase by 51.5% to 22,814,556 people and rank change from 77th to 72nd.

Rwanda is projected to reach its peak in 2100 at 33.1M 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
Rwanda
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Growth rate
Japan Rwanda
2100 -0.5% 0.32%
2099 -0.49% 0.24%
2098 -0.48% 0.23%
2097 -0.48% 0.26%
2096 -0.48% 0.41%
2095 -0.47% 0.26%
2094 -0.47% 0.41%
2093 -0.47% 0.38%
2092 -0.47% 0.32%
2091 -0.47% 0.32%
2090 -0.47% 0.62%
2089 -0.47% 0.46%
2088 -0.47% 0.61%
2087 -0.48% 0.49%
2086 -0.49% 0.46%
2085 -0.5% 0.46%
2084 -0.5% 0.57%
2083 -0.52% 0.6%
2082 -0.53% 0.58%
2081 -0.55% 0.63%
2080 -0.57% 0.63%
2079 -0.59% 0.6%
2078 -0.62% 0.66%
2077 -0.64% 0.59%
2076 -0.67% 0.69%
2075 -0.69% 0.68%
2074 -0.73% 0.75%
2073 -0.74% 0.79%
2072 -0.76% 0.77%
2071 -0.79% 0.86%
2070 -0.79% 0.76%
2069 -0.8% 0.89%
2068 -0.8% 0.95%
2067 -0.81% 0.86%
2066 -0.81% 1%
2065 -0.79% 0.98%
2064 -0.79% 1.05%
2063 -0.78% 0.94%
2062 -0.77% 1.2%
2061 -0.76% 1.06%
2060 -0.75% 1.08%
2059 -0.73% 1.32%
2058 -0.71% 1.08%
2057 -0.7% 1.1%
2056 -0.68% 1.24%
2055 -0.68% 1.21%
2054 -0.65% 1.21%
2053 -0.65% 1.21%
2052 -0.64% 1.33%
2051 -0.64% 1.31%
2050 -0.64% 1.4%
2049 -0.64% 1.47%
2048 -0.64% 1.48%
2047 -0.64% 1.37%
2046 -0.65% 1.53%
2045 -0.65% 1.5%
2044 -0.65% 1.79%
2043 -0.65% 1.65%
2042 -0.66% 1.86%
2041 -0.65% 1.9%
2040 -0.65% 1.92%
2039 -0.65% 1.79%
2038 -0.65% 1.84%
2037 -0.65% 1.68%
2036 -0.65% 2.04%
2035 -0.64% 1.91%
2034 -0.63% 1.94%
2033 -0.63% 1.65%
2032 -0.62% 1.98%
2031 -0.61% 1.96%
2030 -0.6% 1.95%
2029 -0.59% 2.02%
2028 -0.58% 2.22%
2027 -0.56% 2.14%
2026 -0.54% 2.26%
2025 -0.49% 2.19%
2024 -0.43% 2.16%
2023 -0.49% 2.22%
2022 -0.44% 2.21%
2021 -0.46% 2.22%
2020 -0.29% 2.27%
2019 -0.14% 2.31%
2018 -0.13% 2.34%
2017 -0.08% 2.37%
2016 -0.05% 2.4%
2015 -0.11% 2.42%
2014 -0.13% 2.45%
2013 -0.14% 2.43%
2012 -0.16% 2.42%
2011 -0.19% 2.48%
2010 0.02% 2.56%
2009 -0.01% 2.61%
2008 0.05% 2.66%
2007 0.11% 2.7%
2006 0.06% 2.7%
2005 0.009% 2.7%
2004 0.03% 2.68%
2003 0.21% 2.22%
2002 0.23% 1.36%
2001 0.24% 0.89%
2000 0.17% 0.81%
1999 0.18% 0.82%
1998 0.27% 4.21%
1997 0.24% 15.6%
1996 0.23% 18.2%
1995 0.23% -16.5%
1994 0.28% -14.9%
1993 0.32% 3.88%
1992 0.37% 2.08%
1991 0.39% 2.06%
1990 0.33% 2.65%
1989 0.4% 3.11%
1988 0.42% 3.24%
1987 0.48% 3.33%
1986 0.53% 3.4%
1985 0.63% 3.43%
1984 0.65% 3.43%
1983 0.7% 3.39%
1982 0.7% 3.33%
1981 0.73% 3.25%
1980 0.79% 3.15%
1979 0.85% 3.07%
1978 0.91% 3.01%
1977 0.97% 3%
1976 1.08% 3%
1975 1.28% 2.98%
1974 1.34% 2.97%
1973 1.42% 2.96%
1972 1.41% 2.93%
1971 2.22% 3%
1970 1.16% 3.09%
1969 1.2% 3.13%
1968 1.13% 3.15%
1967 1.04% 3.07%
1966 0.92% 2.87%
1965 1.08% 2.65%
1964 1.05% 2.33%
1963 1.02% 2.29%
1962 0.93% 2.55%
1961 0.9% 2.8%

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/rwanda | CC BY

In 2025, the population of Japan declined by 0.49%, while Rwanda's population grew by 2.19%.

Live population counters

Japan Rwanda
Current population
122704252
15062056
Population rank 12/197 77/197
Percent of world population 1.48% 0.18%
One net population change
52 seconds
1.69 minutes
One birth every
44.6 seconds
1.31 minutes
One death every
19.1 seconds
6.25 minutes
Daily growth/decline -1,667 +857
Annual growth/decline -608,637 +312,774
Annual growth/decline rate -0.49% +2.19%
Population growth rate rank 183/197 40/197
One migration net change every
3.75 minutes
1.4 hours
Annual migration change +140,579 +6,282
Net migration rank 10/196 48/196
Foreign-born residents 3,409,529 513,316
Foreign-born residents rank 19/195 80/195
Foreign-born share of population 2.8% 3.6%
Foreign-born share rank 120/195 109/195

Natural population change vs migration

Japan
Natural

Migration
Rwanda
Natural

Migration
1x
Year Population change
Japan Rwanda
Natural Migration Natural Migration
2025 - 140,579 - 6,282
2024 -942,213 153,357 316,025 -15,582
2023 -871,617 175,003 312,762 -9,001
2022 -825,825 175,003 312,145 -9,001
2021 -640,976 -34,996 309,895 -21,492
2020 -542,923 42,001 312,692 -22,251
2019 -531,858 318,190 313,525 -24,492
2018 -456,520 320,601 312,512 -25,323
2017 -406,310 322,564 310,323 -25,634
2016 -343,106 314,732 305,549 -24,474
2015 -292,424 168,896 299,114 -21,862
2014 -267,279 58,109 292,779 -19,505
2013 -242,146 66,449 286,331 -16,779
2012 -229,733 67,904 282,584 -25,260
2011 -204,533 97,720 282,922 -27,915
2010 -128,070 131,860 286,848 -29,501
2009 -76,828 125,450 287,034 -30,128
2008 -51,225 142,605 287,334 -31,913
2007 -25,600 138,024 285,791 -32,537
2006 12,785 130,065 282,149 -34,008
2005 -25,554 113,017 275,121 -33,830
2004 76,656 69,014 265,273 -31,214
2003 114,946 74,875 251,243 -25,355
2002 178,423 60,864 239,036 -91,518
2001 203,438 59,563 230,845 -152,197
2000 228,317 23,468 221,276 -153,588
1999 202,610 56,901 210,518 -146,162
1998 265,440 45,912 197,185 -129,089
1997 277,325 43,366 174,687 410,106
1996 314,392 25,030 140,455 1,367,700
1995 276,039 87,714 121,137 439,995
1994 363,017 154,214 -719,479 -2,078,111
1993 312,073 168,836 183,926 236,110
1992 360,833 170,878 188,025 -12,334
1991 396,685 161,331 196,431 -59,519
1990 407,478 124,582 207,895 -41,483
1989 467,662 31,202 217,632 -2,826
1988 527,085 51,154 223,759 -5,285
1987 598,138 28,001 225,744 -7,062
1986 631,706 27,987 225,526 -8,982
1985 676,687 -141,323 223,794 -11,031
1984 756,523 -273,686 219,337 -12,899
1983 775,495 -269,755 212,750 -14,560
1982 805,664 -288,550 205,147 -15,818
1981 811,861 -278,525 195,769 -16,453
1980 864,372 -92,314 184,988 -16,359
1979 950,298 -57,692 174,477 -15,669
1978 1,011,234 -47,996 163,779 -13,838
1977 1,070,397 -49,082 155,011 -11,084
1976 1,127,750 -34,976 147,665 -7,027
1975 1,204,989 107 140,596 -4,791
1974 1,332,960 -10,145 135,743 -4,535
1973 1,391,449 -34,674 131,021 -3,862
1972 1,372,006 -73,980 126,403 -4,156
1971 1,331,782 -107,778 122,567 -4,230
1970 1,230,496 33,731 119,273 1,149
1969 1,195,962 49,447 115,394 2,983
1968 1,191,930 43,593 111,422 4,728
1967 1,258,475 29,632 108,053 4,655
1966 682,072 68,934 105,128 -1,930
1965 1,126,448 -50,667 103,422 -9,774
1964 1,046,553 -100,696 102,562 -19,458
1963 987,770 -100,742 94,296 -25,524
1962 901,864 -57,075 102,548 -25,594
1961 893,522 -58,882 102,051 -20,508
1960 894,874 -150,371 100,627 -13,198

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

GeoRank.org/population/japan/rwanda | 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 Rwanda 94% is from natural causes (a gain of 3,104,542 people) and 6.03% is from migration (a loss of 199,112 people).

As of 2024, 3,409,529 residents or 2.8% of the population were not native-born in Japan, compared to 513,316 people or 3.6% in Rwanda.

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
Rwanda
City Population
Kigali 1.75M
Ruhengeri 153K
Gisenyi 53.6K
Byumba 36.4K
Cyangugu 27.4K
Nyanza 25.4K
Butare 19.9K
Kibuye 12.3K

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/rwanda | 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.