Naha: population and official figures

In depth

• Economy, jobs and prices in Naha: Taxable income for municipal resident tax in Naha averaged 3.61 million yen per taxpayer in fiscal 2024, 117th lowest of 262 cities and below the national average of 3,933.7 thousand yen per taxpayer. It is income before deductions, so it is not take-home pay.
• Health in Naha: Naha had 15 general hospitals (hospitals other than psychiatric ones) in 2023, or 4.72 per 100,000 residents, 126th lowest of 262 cities, below the national figure (5.60).
• Education in Naha: Naha had 36 primary schools with 18,041 pupils and 1,081 full-time teachers in May 2024.
• Poverty and living standards in Naha: 43.3% of private households in Naha were one-person households at the 2020 census (62,298), 25th highest of 262 cities, above the national figure (38.0%).
• Government budget and revenue in Naha: The municipal government of Naha took in 187.1 billion yen in fiscal 2022 (final accounts), 588,962 yen per resident, 27th highest of 262 cities.

Notes from the UN table: Excluding diplomatic personnel outside the country and foreign military and civilian personnel and their dependants stationed in the area. For the 2020 census, urban areas are “Densely Inhabited Districts”, defined as areas within a municipality that is composed of a group of contiguous Basic Unit Blocks, each of which has a population density of 4,000 inhabitants or more per square kilometer and whose total population exceeds 5,000 as of 1 October 2020. The detailed methodological explanation is available at https://www.stat.go.jp/english/data/chiri/did/1-1.html Excluding diplomatic personnel outside the country and foreign military and civilian personnel and their dependants stationed in the area. For the 2020 census, urban areas are “Densely Inhabited Districts”, defined as areas within a municipality that is composed of a group of contiguous Basic Unit Blocks, each of which has a population density of 4,000 inhabitants or more per square kilometer and whose total population exceeds 5,000 as of 1 October 2020. The detailed methodological explanation is available at https://www.stat.go.jp/english/data/chiri/did/1-1.html Excluding diplomatic personnel outside the country and foreign military and civilian personnel and their dependants stationed in the area. For the 2020 census, urban areas are “Densely Inhabited Districts”, defined as areas within a municipality that is composed of a group of contiguous Basic Unit Blocks, each of which has a population density of 4,000 inhabitants or more per square kilometer and whose total population exceeds 5,000 as of 1 October 2020. The detailed methodological explanation is available at https://www.stat.go.jp/english/data/chiri/did/1-1.html Land areas are based on the "Municipalities Area Statistics of Japan, 2015" published by the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.

Who runs Naha?

In Japan, cities and towns are run by municipalities: Mayor and municipal assembly both directly elected for four years. Primary and lower secondary schools, welfare, waste, water, residents' registers, disaster response. Large 'designated cities' (20) take on prefectural tasks and are divided into administrative wards whose heads are officials, not elected.

How local power works in Japan

Cities of a similar size in Japan

• Wakayama 356,729
• Nara 354,630
• Kawagoe 354,571
• Takatsuki 352,698
• Otsu 345,070
• Tokorozawa 342,464
• Koshigaya 341,621
• Iwaki 332,931
• Maebashi 332,149
• Asahikawa 329,306
• Koriyama 327,692
• Kochi 326,545
• Kasugai 308,681
• Akita 307,672
• Yokkaichi 305,424
• Akashi 303,601

Up a level: all cities in Japan · Japan · government and power

Sources

• Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications: Statistical Observations of Municipalities 2026 (social and demographic statistics, city, ward, town and village data), read 28 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 2cb3d8c51aa1…)
• Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications: Statistical Observations of Prefectures 2026 (national figures, "All Japan" row), read 28 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 b69774a5f40c…)

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