The entire population in Japan was 127 million as of 2012 October. 25.1% of them (32 million) were over 65 years-old persons. The ratio of elderly people (65 and over) was the highest in Akita prefecture (31.6%), lowest in Okinawa (18.4%).
The government estimates the proportion of elderly people will reach 43.8% in Akita in 2040.
The following shows the population aging rate by prefecture in 2013, and the estimated rate in 2040.
| 2013 | 2040 | Changes between 2013-2040 | |||
| Prefecture | Total population (x 1000) | "65 or more" population (x 1000) | Ratio of over "65 or more" (%) | Ratio of "65 or more" (%) | |
| Hokkaido | 5,431 | 1,469 | 27.0 | 40.7 | 13.7 |
| Aomori | 1,335 | 373 | 27.9 | 41.5 | 13.6 |
| Iwate | 1,295 | 372 | 28.7 | 39.7 | 11.0 |
| Miyagi | 2,328 | 553 | 23.8 | 36.2 | 12.4 |
| Akita | 1,050 | 331 | 31.6 | 43.8 | 12.2 |
| Yamagata | 1,141 | 332 | 29.1 | 39.3 | 10.2 |
| Fukushima | 1,946 | 524 | 26.9 | 39.3 | 12.4 |
| Ibaraki | 2,931 | 728 | 24.8 | 36.4 | 11.6 |
| Tochigi | 1,986 | 480 | 24.2 | 36.3 | 12.1 |
| Gunma | 1,984 | 512 | 25.8 | 36.6 | 10.8 |
| Saitama | 7,222 | 1,661 | 23.0 | 34.9 | 11.9 |
| Chiba | 6,192 | 1,505 | 24.3 | 36.5 | 12.2 |
| Tokyo | 13,300 | 2,914 | 21.9 | 33.5 | 11.6 |
| Kanagawa | 9,079 | 2,033 | 22.4 | 35.0 | 12.6 |
| Niigata | 2,330 | 655 | 28.1 | 38.7 | 10.6 |
| Toyama | 1,076 | 309 | 28.7 | 38.4 | 9.7 |
| Ishikawa | 1,159 | 302 | 26.1 | 36.0 | 9.9 |
| Fukui | 795 | 214 | 27.0 | 37.5 | 10.5 |
| Yamanashi | 847 | 225 | 26.5 | 38.8 | 12.3 |
| Nagano | 2,122 | 600 | 28.3 | 38.4 | 10.1 |
| Gifu | 2,051 | 539 | 26.3 | 36.2 | 9.9 |
| Shizuoka | 3,723 | 966 | 26.0 | 37.0 | 11 |
| Aichi | 7,443 | 1,662 | 22.3 | 32.4 | 10.1 |
| Mie | 1,833 | 480 | 26.2 | 36.0 | 9.8 |
| Shiga | 1,416 | 319 | 22.5 | 32.8 | 10.3 |
| Kyoto | 2,617 | 676 | 25.8 | 36.4 | 10.6 |
| Osaka | 8,849 | 2,184 | 24.7 | 36.0 | 11.3 |
| Hyogo | 5,558 | 1,408 | 25.3 | 36.4 | 11.1 |
| Nara | 1,383 | 369 | 26.7 | 38.1 | 11.4 |
| Wakayama | 979 | 288 | 29.4 | 39.9 | 10.5 |
| Tottori | 578 | 163 | 28.2 | 38.2 | 10.0 |
| Shimane | 702 | 217 | 30.9 | 39.1 | 8.2 |
| Okayama | 1,930 | 524 | 27.1 | 34.8 | 7.7 |
| Hiroshima | 2,840 | 743 | 26.2 | 36.1 | 9.9 |
| Yamaguchi | 1,420 | 429 | 30.2 | 38.3 | 8.1 |
| Tokushima | 770 | 224 | 29.1 | 40.2 | 11.1 |
| Kagawa | 985 | 277 | 28.1 | 37.9 | 9.8 |
| Ehime | 1,405 | 404 | 28.8 | 38.7 | 9.9 |
| Kochi | 745 | 232 | 31.1 | 40.9 | 9.8 |
| Fukuoka | 5,090 | 1,230 | 24.2 | 35.3 | 11.1 |
| Saga | 840 | 219 | 26.1 | 35.5 | 9.4 |
| Nagasaki | 1,397 | 390 | 27.9 | 39.3 | 11.4 |
| Kumamoto | 1,801 | 491 | 27.2 | 36.4 | 9.2 |
| Oita | 1,178 | 337 | 28.6 | 36.7 | 8.1 |
| Miyazaki | 1,120 | 310 | 27.6 | 37.0 | 9.4 |
| Kagoshima | 1,680 | 467 | 27.8 | 37.5 | 9.7 |
| Okinawa | 1,415 | 260 | 18.4 | 30.3 | 11.9 |
Figure 1: Population aging rate by prefecture in 2013
Red means more aged prefectures and blue means not.
Figure 2: Estimated population aging rate by prefecture in 2040
The youngest Okinawa in 2040 (30.3%) equals the current most aged Akita (31.6%).
Source is Cabinet Office, Government Of Japan
www8.cao.go.jp/kourei/whitepaper/w-2014/zenbun/s1_1_2.html
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