Kyushu’s total population fell by 0.7% year-on-year to 12.48 million as of October 1, 2024, according to government data released on April 14. All seven prefectures saw overall population declines due to aging and low birth rates. However, Miyazaki Prefecture recorded a net gain in population from migration—the first such increase since comparable records began in 1995. The shift was driven by an increase in both foreign residents moving in from abroad and those relocating from other parts of Japan.
Fukuoka, Kumamoto, and Okinawa also saw more people move in than out, while Saga reversed last year’s positive trend with a slight net outflow. Despite these migration-based gains, natural population decline continued to outweigh inflows across most areas.
Kyushu’s working-age population (15–64) dropped 0.7% to 7 million. Okinawa remains Japan’s youngest prefecture, with a higher percentage of children under 15 than seniors over 75. Nagasaki recorded the steepest decline in the region at 1.2%. Source: Statistics Bureau
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