Demography of Imperial Japan

This article deals with the population of the Empire of Japan. See also demographics of Japan and demographics of Japan before Meiji Restoration.
1920 Commemorative stamp for 1st national census of the Empire of Japan

The population of Japan at the time of the Meiji Restoration was estimated to be 34,985,000 on January 1, 1873,[1] while the official original family registries (本籍, honseki) and de facto (or present registries (現住, genjū)) populations on the same day were 33,300,644 and 33,416,939, respectively. These were comparable to the population of the United Kingdom (31,000,000), France (38,000,000) and Austria-Hungary (38,000,000).

Japan proper

Total Population

Meiji government established the uniformed registered system of koseki (戸籍, family registries) in 1872, which is called Jinshin koseki (壬申戸籍).

Year honseki

population

A-type de facto

population

B-type de facto

population

Estimated population
Mar 8, 187233,110,79633,238,01134,806,000
Jan 1, 187333,300,64433,416,93934,985,000
Jan 1, 187433,625,64633,749,93235,154,000
Jan 1, 187533,997,41533,997,25035,316,000
Jan 1, 187634,338,36734,302,06835,555,000
Jan 1, 187734,628,32835,870,000
Jan 1, 187834,898,54036,166,000
Jan 1, 187935,768,54736,464,000
Jan 1, 188035,929,02336,649,000
Jan 1, 188136,358,95536,965,000
Jan 1, 188236,700,07937,259,000
Jan 1, 188337,017,26237,569,000
Jan 1, 188437,451,72737,687,64537,451,80037,962,000
Jan 1, 188537,868,94937,975,06937,704,10038,313,000
Jan 1, 188638,151,21738,276,37638,147,60038,541,000
Dec 31, 188638,507,17738,833,41538,530,40038,703,000 (as of Jan 1, 1887)
Dec 31, 188739,069,69139,510,14639,137,10039,029,000 (as of Jan 1, 1888)
Dec 31, 188839,607,23440,105,47939,626,60039,473,000 (as of Jan 1, 1889)
Dec 31, 188940,072,02040,692,80840,076,50039,902,000 (as of Jan 1, 1890)
Dec 31, 189040,453,46140,968,83540,460,30040,251,000 (as of Jan 1, 1891)
Dec 31, 189140,718,67741,268,73240,718,80040,508,000 (as of Jan 1, 1892)
Dec 31, 189241,089,94041,696,84741,083,40040,860,000 (as of Jan 1, 1893)
Dec 31, 189341,388,31342,060,97641,378,60041,142,000 (as of Jan 1, 1894)
Dec 31, 189441,813,21542,430,98541,694,70041,557,000 (as of Jan 1, 1895)
Dec 31, 189542,270,62043,048,22642,225,30041,992,000 (as of Jan 1, 1896)
Dec 31, 189642,708,26443,499,83342,665,30042,400,000 (as of Jan 1, 1897)
Dec 31, 189743,228,86343,978,49543,180,40042,886,000 (as of Jan 1, 1898)
Dec 31, 189843,763,85545,403,04143,716,40043,404,000 (as of Jan 1, 1899)
Dec 31, 189944,270,49544,269,90043,847,000 (as of Jan 1, 1900)
Dec 31, 190044,825,59744,831,30044,359,000 (as of Jan 1, 1901)
Dec 31, 190145,446,36945,404,70044,964,000 (as of Jan 1, 1902)
Dec 31, 190246,041,76845,990,00045,546,000 (as of Jan 1, 1903)
Dec 31, 190346,732,87648,542,73646,588,00046,135,000 (as of Jan 1, 1904)
Dec 31, 190447,219,56647,197,60046,620,000 (as of Jan 1, 1905)
Dec 31, 190547,678,39647,819,30047,038,000 (as of Jan 1, 1906)
Dec 31, 190648,164,76148,451,10047,416,000 (as of Jan 1, 1907)
Dec 31, 190748,819,63049,092,00047,965,000 (as of Jan 1, 1908)
Dec 31, 190849,588,80451,742,48649,318,30048,554,000 (as of Jan 1, 1909)
Dec 31, 190950,254,47150,011,70049,184,000 (as of Jan 1, 1910)
Dec 31, 191050,984,84450,716,60049,852,000 (as of Jan 1, 1911)
Dec 31, 191151,753,93451,435,40050,577,000 (as of Jan 1, 1912)
Dec 31, 191252,522,75352,167,00051,305,000 (as of Jan 1, 1913)
Dec 31, 191353,362,68255,131,27052,911,80052,039,000 (as of Jan 1, 1914)
Dec 31, 191454,142,44153,668,60052,752,000 (as of Jan 1, 1915)
Dec 31, 191554,935,75554,439,40053,496,000 (as of Jan 1, 1916)
Dec 31, 191655,637,43155,224,50054,134,000 (as of Jan 1, 1917)
Dec 31, 191756,335,97156,022,70054,739,000 (as of Jan 1, 1918)
Dec 31, 191856,667,71158,087,27755,662,90055,033,000 (as of Jan 1, 1919)
Dec 31, 191957,233,90656,253,20055,473,000 (as of Jan 1, 1920)

The first national census based on full sampling of inhabitants was conducted in Japan in 1920, and was conducted every five years thereafter. Per the Statistics Bureau of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, the population distribution of Japan proper from 1920 to 1945 is as follows [2]

Date Population % Change Area (km2) Density (km2) % Urban
1920-10-01 55,963,053 NA 381,808.04 147 18.0
1925-10-01 59,736,822 6.7 381,810.06 156 21.6
1930-10-01 64,450,005 7.9 382,264.91 169 24.0
1935-10-01 69,254,148 7.5 382,545.42 181 32.7
1940-10-01 73,114,308 5.6 382,545.42 191 37.7
1945-11-01 71,998,104 -0.7 377,298.15 195 22.8

The above figures include Hokkaidō, the northernmost island, sparsely populated, with area similar to the state of Maine; the central island of Honshū, larger than Ohio and Indiana, site of the most important cities and industrial centers; and smaller islands of Kyūshū and Shikoku, and Okinawa (except for the 1945 census values).

Urban Population

In Japan proper, the population of major cities was as follows:

City or

town

Japanese Jan 1,

1873

Dec 31,

1886

Dec 31,

1889

Dec 31,

1893

Dec 31,

1898

Dec 31,

1903

Dec 31,

1908

Dec 31,

1913

Oct 1,

1920

Oct 1,

1925

Oct 1,

1930

Oct 1,

1935

Oct 1,

1940

Feb 22,

1944

Nov 1,

1945

Tōkyō東京595,9051,121,8831,389,6841,214,1131,440,1211,818,6552,186,0792,050,1262,173,2011,995,5672,070,5295,875,6676,778,8046,558,1612,777,010
Ōsaka大阪271,992361,694476,271482,961821,235995,9451,226,6471,395,8231,252,9832,114,8042,452,5692,989,8743,252,3402,833,3441,102,959
Nagoya名古屋125,193131,492162,767194,796244,145288,639378,231452,043429,997768,558907,4021,082,8161,328,0841,344,100597,941
Yokohama横浜64,60289,545121,985152,451193,762326,035394,303397,574422,938405,888620,296704,290968,0911,019,466624,994
Kyōto京都238,663245,675279,792317,270353,139380,568442,462509,380591,323679,963765,1421,010,5931,089,726964,466866,153
Kōbe神戸40,90080,446135,639153,382215,780285,002378,197442,167608,644644,212787,596912,179967,234918,032379,166
Kawasaki[3]川崎3,1234,0315,0364,8965,6475,5647,23910,06021,39154,634104,346154,748300,777380,919180,042
Hiroshima広島74,30581,91488,82091,479122,306121,196142,763167,130160,510195,731270,365310,118343,968336,483137,197
Fukuoka[4]福岡41,63542,61753,01458,18166,19071,04782,10697,30395,381146,005228,290291,158306,763324,499252,282
Yokosuka横須賀2,81013,25124,36624,36624,75036,95670,96485,47889,87996,351110,304182,871193,358298,132202,038
Miyahara/
Washō/
Kure[5]
宮原/
和庄/
n. d.11,1607,33511,64821,55366,006100,679128,342130,362138,863190,265231,333238,195293,632152,184
Nagasaki長崎29,65638,22955,06365,374107,422153,293176,480161,174176,534189,071204,179211,702252,630270,113142,748
Amagasaki尼崎12,40412,74213,58013,95515,06618,00619,88825,04538,46144,24150,06471,072181,011270,073153,051
Sendai仙台51,99861,70990,23173,77183,325100,23197,944104,141118,984142,894190,177219,547223,630261,117238,250
Yahata[3]八幡n. d.n. d.3,0682,3093,0147,59222,76745,630100,235118,376168,218208,629261,309252,662151,378
Sasebo[5]佐世保n. d.n. d.8,00513,12237,48568,34493,05194,91487,02295,385133,172173,283205,989241,239147,617
Sapporo札幌1,78515,04116,87627,69437,48255,30470,08496,924102,580145,065168,575196,541206,103225,842220,139
Sakai38,83844,01548,16546,13850,20354,04061,10367,70684,999105,009120,347141,286182,147217,939168,348
Shizuoka静岡31,55536,83837,66437,09642,17248,74453,61464,10874,09384,772136,481200,737212,198211,666161,720
Kumamoto熊本44,62044,38452,83362,43261,46359,71761,23368,16770,388147,174164,449187,382194,193211,011181,128
Akamazeki/
Shimonoseki
赤間関/
下関
18,50030,82529,91933,56542,78646,28558,25472,11772,30092,31798,549132,737196,022206,961155,623
Wakayama和歌山61,12454,86856,71355,72663,66768,52777,30377,68383,50095,622117,437179,732195,203205,396147,523
Hakodate函館28,82545,47752,90963,61978,04085,31387,87599,795144,749163,972197,252207,480203,862196,680181,531
Kanazawa金沢109,68597,65394,25791,53183,66299,657110,994129,804129,265147,420157,309163,733186,297193,560200,584
Kagoshima鹿児島27,24045,09757,46556,13953,48159,00163,64075,907103,180124,734137,232181,736190,257189,99193,698
Niigata新潟33,15240,77846,35349,70053,36659,57661,61666,62292,130108,941125,106134,992150,903177,289174,170
Okayama岡山32,37232,98948,33351,66558,02581,02593,42186,96194,585124,521139,221166,144163,552160,90292,861
Toyama富山44,68253,55658,15958,18759,55856,27557,43764,82261,81267,49075,09983,324127,859160,537100,775
Otaru小樽3,90315,88212,62934,25956,96179,36191,28192,864108,113134,469144,884153,587164,282151,905145,510
Kōchi高知39,75730,98732,24134,71136,51135,51838,27939,16249,32965,72396,991103,405106,644136,699111,630
Tokushima徳島48,86157,45661,10761,33761,50163,71065,56170,29268,45774,54590,62297,021119,581116,73480,681
Takamatsu高松32,73637,69832,08135,33034,41637,43042,57841,83746,55071,89779,90686,840111,207107,20272,656
Fukui福井39,78437,37640,84942,68044,28650,15550,39656,21856,63959,94364,19975,27394,59599,47745,559
Akita秋田38,11829,22529,56828,22929,47734,35036,29436,56036,28143,88751,07060,64661,79197,361101,009
Matsue松江37,30833,38135,93435,40934,65135,08136,20938,63137,52741,39644,50252,03355,50654,28254,033
Hagi45,31821,20619,80419,27415,87718,11418,06917,12914,38633,22532,10632,58732,27030,96038,388
Shuri首里44,98425,58726,20525,35924,80923,82725,14124,10222,83820,58220,19919,30517,53717,964n.d.

In 1937 Japanese demographers projected the Japanese population in 1980 to reach 100,000,000, in accordance with observed growth rates.

Japanese overseas possessions

Japan annexed Taiwan after the First Sino-Japanese War, while victory in the Russo-Japanese War gained Japan the Kwantung Leased Territory, Karafuto, and Korea. These acquisitions increased the area controlled by Japanese to 262,912 square miles (680,939 km2).

The total population of the Empire of Japan, including Taiwan, Korea and Karafuto was 64,940,034 in Dec 31, 1908, which could be broken down as follows:

And the population of concessions as of Dec 31, 1908 was as follows:

Territory 1920-10-01 1925-10-01 1930-10-01 1935-10-01 1940-10-01 Area as of 1920
(km2)
Empire of Japan76,988,37983,456,92990,396,04397,697,555103,727,610674,612.076
   Japan Proper55,963,05359,736,82264,450,00569,254,14873,114,308381,808.042
   Taiwan3,655,3083,993,4084,592,5375,212,4265,872,08435,973.550
   Korea17,264,11919,522,94521,058,30522,899,03824,326,327220,740.718
   Karafuto105,899203,754295,196331,943414,89136,089.766
Concessions919,5681,054,0741,328,0111,656,7261,367,3344,168.804
   Kwantung688,130765,776955,7411,134,0811,367,3343,374.655
   Railway Zone231,438288,298372,270522,645To Manchuria242.149
   Tsingtao248,209To Republic of China552.000
South Pacific Mandate52,22256,29469,626102,537131,2582,514.026
Total78,208,37884,567,29791,793,68099,456,818105,226,202681,294.906

The census population in 1940 was:

Total: 105,226,202 (of whom 73,499,952 were Japanese, 24,820,517 were Koreans, 5,533,576 were Taiwanese, 50,899 were South Pacific natives, 1,382 were Karafuto natives, 1,158,083 were of Manchurian nationality in Kwangtung, and 161,792 of other nationalities)

Urban population in overseas territories

In terms of cities, the population of major cities:

Rank City 1890 census 1910 census 1920 census 1930 census 1940 census
1 Keijō 1,165,000 230,000 247,000 350,000 1,100,000
2 Fuzan NA 81,000 74,000 130,000 400,000
3 Heijō NA 40,000 60,000 137,000 286,000
4 Jinsen NA 30,000 40,000 54,000 171,000
5 Taihoku 78,000 95,000 164,000 249,000 326,000
6 Tainan NA 44,000 112,000 166,000 296,000
7 Kīrun NA NA 48,000 79,000 100,000

Taiwan and Korea

1st Census Poster
Year Population
(Taiwan)
Population
(Korea)
1897 2,728,800 NA
1900 3,046,000 11,310,000
1920 3,654,900 17,264,100
1925 3,994,900 19,522,900
1930 4,679,100 21,058,300
1935 5,212,400 22,899,000
1940 5,872,100 24,730,000
1945 6,940,000 27,275,000

Manchukuo

The population of Manchuria in early 1934 was estimated at 30,880,000. These numbers included 30,190,000 Chinese, 590,760 Japanese, and 98,431 other nationalities (Russians, Mongols, etc.). The Chinese numbers included 680,000 ethnic Koreans. In 1937, shortly after the foundation of Manchukuo, the government launched a twenty-year colonization program, with the goal of increasing the population through the immigration of 1,000,000 Japanese families (5 million people) between 1936 and 1956. This was in addition to the Japanese military garrison of approximately 300,000 men in 1937. Between 1938 and 1942 a contingent of young farmers of 200,000 arrived in Manchukuo; joining this group after 1936 were 20,000 complete families. In Shinkyō Japanese made up 25% of the population. By 1940, the total population of Manchukuo was estimated at 36,933,000, which included approximately 1 million Japanese civilian and 500,000 Japanese military personnel. These figures exclude that of the Kwantung Leased Territory and Dalien, which were included within that of the Japanese overseas territories.

References

  1. Population of Japan after Meiji 5 compiled by the Cabinet Bureau of Statistics of Japan in 1930.
  2. Statistics Bureau, The Population of Japan
  3. 1 2 Population in 1889 and 1893 excludes military residents and prisoners.
  4. Population in 1873 includes those of Hakata (20,985) and Fukuoka (20,650). Population in 1879 includes those of Hakata (22,954) and Fukuoka (19,663).
  5. 1 2 Population in 1889 excludes military residents and prisoners.

Books

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.