Prefectures of Japan: population and official figures
Japan is divided into 47 prefectures. The largest by population is Tokyo with 14,178,000 people (11.5% of the total); the smallest is Tottori with 531,000. Figures are from the Statistics Bureau of Japan (Statistical Observations of Prefectures 2026 and Population Estimates) and the Cabinet Office Prefectural Accounts. Years differ by indicator and are shown on each line. Prefectural finance ratios cover the prefectural government only; Tokyo also carries some municipal-type duties, so its ratios are not like-for-like. The Cabinet Office had published fiscal 2023 accounts for 42 prefectures only (Ishikawa, Nara, Tokushima, Kagawa and Miyazaki were missing), so those rankings cover 42.
Who governs Japan's prefectures?
Prefectures (47: 1 to, 1 do, 2 fu, 43 ken): Governor (chiji) and prefectural assembly both directly elected for four years. Police, upper secondary schools, regional planning, hospitals, support to municipalities.
How local power works in Japan · Level 5: devolved and state governments worldwide
All 47 prefectures, largest first
| # | Prefecture | Population | Year | Growth (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tokyo | 14,178,000 | 2024 | +0.7% |
| 2 | Kanagawa | 9,225,000 | 2024 | -0.1% |
| 3 | Osaka | 8,757,000 | 2024 | -0.1% |
| 4 | Aichi | 7,460,000 | 2024 | -0.2% |
| 5 | Saitama | 7,332,000 | 2024 | +0.0% |
| 6 | Chiba | 6,251,000 | 2024 | -0.1% |
| 7 | Hyogo | 5,337,000 | 2024 | -0.6% |
| 8 | Fukuoka | 5,092,000 | 2024 | -0.2% |
| 9 | Hokkaido | 5,043,000 | 2024 | -1.0% |
| 10 | Shizuoka | 3,527,000 | 2024 | -0.8% |
| 11 | Ibaraki | 2,806,000 | 2024 | -0.6% |
| 12 | Hiroshima | 2,714,000 | 2024 | -0.9% |
| 13 | Kyoto | 2,520,000 | 2024 | -0.6% |
| 14 | Miyagi | 2,248,000 | 2024 | -0.7% |
| 15 | Niigata | 2,099,000 | 2024 | -1.3% |
| 16 | Nagano | 1,987,000 | 2024 | -0.8% |
| 17 | Gifu | 1,916,000 | 2024 | -0.8% |
| 18 | Gunma | 1,890,000 | 2024 | -0.6% |
| 19 | Tochigi | 1,885,000 | 2024 | -0.7% |
| 20 | Okayama | 1,831,000 | 2024 | -0.8% |
| 21 | Fukushima | 1,743,000 | 2024 | -1.4% |
| 22 | Mie | 1,711,000 | 2024 | -0.9% |
| 23 | Kumamoto | 1,697,000 | 2024 | -0.7% |
| 24 | Kagoshima | 1,532,000 | 2024 | -1.1% |
| 25 | Okinawa | 1,466,000 | 2024 | -0.1% |
| 26 | Shiga | 1,402,000 | 2024 | -0.3% |
| 27 | Nara | 1,285,000 | 2024 | -0.8% |
| 28 | Yamaguchi | 1,281,000 | 2024 | -1.3% |
| 29 | Ehime | 1,276,000 | 2024 | -1.2% |
| 30 | Nagasaki | 1,252,000 | 2024 | -1.2% |
| 31 | Aomori | 1,165,000 | 2024 | -1.7% |
| 32 | Iwate | 1,145,000 | 2024 | -1.6% |
| 33 | Ishikawa | 1,098,000 | 2024 | -1.0% |
| 34 | Oita | 1,085,000 | 2024 | -1.0% |
| 35 | Miyazaki | 1,033,000 | 2024 | -0.9% |
| 36 | Yamagata | 1,011,000 | 2024 | -1.5% |
| 37 | Toyama | 997,000 | 2024 | -1.0% |
| 38 | Kagawa | 917,000 | 2024 | -0.9% |
| 39 | Akita | 897,000 | 2024 | -1.9% |
| 40 | Wakayama | 880,000 | 2024 | -1.3% |
| 41 | Yamanashi | 791,000 | 2024 | -0.6% |
| 42 | Saga | 788,000 | 2024 | -0.8% |
| 43 | Fukui | 739,000 | 2024 | -0.8% |
| 44 | Tokushima | 685,000 | 2024 | -1.4% |
| 45 | Kochi | 656,000 | 2024 | -1.6% |
| 46 | Shimane | 642,000 | 2024 | -1.2% |
| 47 | Tottori | 531,000 | 2024 | -1.2% |
Cities: the largest cities of Japan.
More on Japan: official statistics · government and power · local power
Sources
- Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications: Statistical Observations of Prefectures 2026 (Tōkei de miru todōfuken no sugata), full volume, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 b69774a5f40c…)
- Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications: Population Estimates as of 1 October 2024, Table 2: population by prefecture and sex, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 171c9930a3c8…)
- Economic and Social Research Institute, Cabinet Office, Government of Japan: Prefectural Accounts 1968-... FY2011-FY2023 (2008 SNA, 2015 base), summary table 1: gross prefectural product (nominal), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 264f5d5c24dc…)
- Economic and Social Research Institute, Cabinet Office, Government of Japan: Prefectural Accounts FY2011-FY2023, summary table 7: prefectural income per person, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 e3802459b8d1…)
- Economic and Social Research Institute, Cabinet Office, Government of Japan: Prefectural Accounts FY2011-FY2023, summary table 10: persons employed in the prefecture (by workplace), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 55c5e5c6ba36…)
- Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan: Survey of Medical Institutions 2023 (static survey, 1 October 2023), statistical tables 1-14, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c58768c41bfc…)
- Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan: Prefectural Life Tables 2020: chart and table data (life expectancy at selected ages), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 85e022250f89…)
Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.