Japan vs Germany: Population Comparison 2026
Japan
GermanyJapan has 38,783,472 more people than Germany (1.5× as many): 122.4 million vs 83.6 million in 2026. Median age is 50.2 in Japan and 45.7 in Germany; fertility is 1.23 vs 1.46 children per woman.
Japan
2026- Median age
- 50.2
- Fertility (TFR)
- 1.23
- Working age (15–64)
- 58.8%
- Trend
- Declining (-0.55%)
Germany
2026- Median age
- 45.7
- Fertility (TFR)
- 1.46
- Working age (15–64)
- 61.9%
- Trend
- Declining (-0.51%)
Population pyramids, 2026
Total Population
Japan
122.4M
Germany
83.6M
Youth (0-14)
Japan
11.0%
Germany
13.9%
Elderly (65+)
Japan
30.2%
Germany
24.2%
Where the two pyramids differ
The pyramids are overlaid so you can read the difference by age and sex: the longer bar in each band marks the country with more people of that age.
📊 Understanding the Population Difference Chart
This visualization shows where and by how much the populations differ between Japan and Germany for each age group, split by gender:
Left Side (Males)
Blue = Japan has more males
Green = Germany has more males
Right Side (Females)
Pink = Japan has more females
Orange = Germany has more females
💡 How to Read: Each age group shows up to 2 bars - one on the left (male difference) and one on the right (female difference). The bar's color tells you which country has more people, and the bar's length shows by how much. For example, if you see a green bar on the left, it means Germany has more males in that age group.
Notable Differences (>20% variance):
Demographic comparison, 2026
| Indicator | Japan | Germany | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2026) | 122,427,731 | 83,644,259 | Japan has 38.8 million more (1.5×) |
| Change 2025–2026 | -0.5% (Declining) | -0.5% (Declining) | |
| Median age (2026) | 50.2 | 45.7 | Japan older by 4.5 yrs |
| Total fertility rate | 1.23 — 0.87 below replacement | 1.46 — 0.64 below replacement | |
| Fertility rate, 2030 (UN projection) | 1.26 | 1.48 | |
| Birth rate (per 1,000) | 6.1 | 8.2 | |
| Population 2050 (UN projection) | 105.1 million (-14.1%) | 78.3 million (-6.4%) | |
| Peak population | Peaks 2009 | Peaks 2024 |
Differences by age group, 2026
| Age | Japan (M / F) | Germany (M / F) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-4 | 1968K / 1879K | 1856K / 1759K | Japan has 6.4% more people aged 0-4 |
| 5-9 | 2301K / 2192K | 2079K / 1974K | Japan has 10.9% more people aged 5-9 |
| 10-14 | 2663K / 2521K | 2015K / 1909K | Japan has 32.1% more people aged 10-14 |
| 15-19 | 2897K / 2746K | 1993K / 1884K | Japan has 45.5% more people aged 15-19 |
| 20-24 | 3148K / 3004K | 2106K / 1982K | Japan has 50.5% more people aged 20-24 |
| 25-29 | 3134K / 3011K | 2390K / 2177K | Japan has 34.6% more people aged 25-29 |
| 30-34 | 3062K / 2942K | 2542K / 2350K | Japan has 22.7% more people aged 30-34 |
| 35-39 | 3217K / 3101K | 2893K / 2722K | Japan has 12.5% more people aged 35-39 |
| 40-44 | 3605K / 3524K | 2733K / 2647K | Japan has 32.5% more people aged 40-44 |
| 45-49 | 4098K / 4031K | 2591K / 2574K | Japan has 57.4% more people aged 45-49 |
| 50-54 | 4934K / 4866K | 2513K / 2513K | Japan has 95.0% more people aged 50-54 |
| 55-59 | 4495K / 4412K | 3199K / 3201K | Japan has 39.2% more people aged 55-59 |
| 60-64 | 3878K / 3829K | 3354K / 3412K | Japan has 13.9% more people aged 60-64 |
| 65-69 | 3575K / 3647K | 2779K / 2960K | Japan has 25.8% more people aged 65-69 |
| 70-74 | 3605K / 3893K | 2167K / 2495K | Japan has 60.8% more people aged 70-74 |
| 75-79 | 4025K / 4786K | 1669K / 2036K | Japan has 137.8% more people aged 75-79 |
| 80-84 | 2574K / 3459K | 1178K / 1586K | Japan has 118.3% more people aged 80-84 |
| 85-89 | 1627K / 2678K | 914K / 1439K | Japan has 83.0% more people aged 85-89 |
| 90-94 | 683K / 1586K | 283K / 562K | Japan has 168.7% more people aged 90-94 |
| 95-99 | 153K / 551K | 49K / 139K | Japan has 274.2% more people aged 95-99 |
| 100+ | 18K / 108K | 4K / 17K | Japan has 522.0% more people aged 100+ |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which has more people, Japan or Germany?
Japan has more: 122.4 million vs 83.6 million in 2026 — 1.5× as many, 38.8 million more people.
Which country is older?
Japan, with a median age of 50.2 vs 45.7 in Germany (2026).
Which has higher fertility?
Germany, at 1.46 children per woman vs 1.23 in Japan. Replacement is 2.1, so both are below it.
How will Japan and Germany compare in 2050?
By 2050 the UN projects Japan at 105.1 million (-14.1% from 2026) and Germany at 78.3 million (-6.4%).
Are Japan and Germany growing or shrinking?
Japan is declining (-0.5% in 2026); Germany is declining (-0.5%).