China vs Japan: population comparison
Current population of China
1,403,948,354
Live estimate, extrapolated from the latest official figures
- Births today
- 5,429
- Deaths today
- 6,223
- Change today (UTC)
- −1,361
Current population of Japan
122,696,542
Live estimate, extrapolated from the latest official figures
- Births today
- 400
- Deaths today
- 935
- Change today (UTC)
- −346
China has a population of 1,406,585,000 and Japan has 123,366,734 (2025 estimates). China is currently larger by 1,283,218,266 people — about 11 times Japan's population. They rank 2 and 12 in the world respectively.
Their trajectories differ: China grows at −0.17% per year versus −0.49% for Japan. At current rates the balance between them keeps shifting.
Beyond size, the structures differ: China is the younger society (median age 40.1 vs 49.8); Japan is far more crowded at 342 people per km² against 150.
China vs Japan population, 1960–2025
Side by side
| Indicator | China | Japan |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,406,585,000 | 123,366,734 |
| Annual growth | −0.17% | −0.49% |
| Yearly change | −2,390,000 | −608,637 |
| Density (P/km²) | 150 | 342 |
| Land area (km²) | 9,388,210 | 364,569 |
| Median age | 40.1 yrs | 49.8 yrs |
| Fertility rate | 1.01 | 1.15 |
| Life expectancy | 78.0 yrs | 84.0 yrs |
| Urban population | 66% | 92% |
| World share | 17.12% | 1.50% |
| 2050 projection (UN) | 1,260,289,093 | 105,123,167 |
Latest World Bank estimates; median age and 2050 projections from UN WPP 2024. Full profiles: China · Japan
China vs Japan FAQ
Is China bigger than Japan by population?
China currently has the larger population: 1,406,585,000 versus 123,366,734 (2025 estimates) — a gap of 1.28 billion people.
Which grows faster, China or Japan?
China currently grows faster: −0.17% per year versus −0.49%.
How do China and Japan compare in 2050?
UN medium-variant projections put China at 1,260,289,093 and Japan at 105,123,167 in 2050.