Osaka, Japan Population

Population in Urban Area, now

19,037,097
  • World: 10th
  • Asia: 7th
  • Japan: 2nd

Population in City Area, 2022-03-31

2,753,862
  • World: 97th
  • Asia: 68th
  • Japan: 2nd

Osaka Urban Area Population Graph

Osaka Population Review

Osaka is a city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is home to 19.1 million people in the urban area and 2.5 million in the city. It is the second largest metropolitan area in Japan and is one of the most populated cities in the world.

Since the 1950s, Osaka’s population has grown from 7 million people in the urban area to the current 19.1 million. The largest population growth happened between 1950 and 1970, when the city doubled in size to 15 million people. Since then, the city’s growth has slowed and—after peaking in 2010 at 19,313,000 people—the city’s population has actually begun to slowly decline.

A financial center of the country

Osaka is considered Japan’s economic hub. Though the city was often viewed as being poorer and having a less robust economy than Tokyo, Osaka actually has an economy bigger than Switzerland’s and is home to major, multinational corporations such as the Osaka Securities Exchange, Panasonic, and Sharp.

Osaka prefecture has a total production value of about 38 trillion yen and there are approximately 440,000 places of business in Osaka prefecture, and around 200,000 within Osaka City. There are 433 stock exchange companies that are also headquartered in Osaka prefecture.

A rising number of tourists

Osaka is experiencing a significant tourism boom. The area has become a powerful draw for middle-class tourists from China and Southeast Asia. In the past three years, the number of arrivals at Kansai Internationl Airport—the first offshore airport built on a completely manmade island—has increased from 2.6 million people to 7.6 million people. The number of international flights has also grown to 300 per week. Foreign visitors to Osaka hit 11.1 million in 2017, which was an increase of five-fold from 2010. This has easily made the area one of Japan’s fastest growing tourist destinations.

The Nation’s Kitchen

While Osaka’s nickname may have originally originated in the Edo Period and referred to the area being Japan’s rice-trade hub, it has since morphed to refer to the city’s outstanding food scene. With over 200 restaurants listed on the Michelin Guide for Osaka and 99 Michelin starred restaurants, Osaka is considered a gourmand’s paradise.

Demographics of Osaka

During the last census, Osaka had approximately 1,280,325 households and there were approximately 2.1 persons living in each household. The city had a population density of 11,836 persons per square kilometer. The city had a massive influx of residents after the Great Kanto earthquake, which caused the city to swell to 3.2 million people. The city’s population has since decreased as residents move to the suburbs to find more affordable housing.

There are almost 1 million registered foreigners living in Osaka. The largest groups of foreginers are Chinese and Korean, with 11,848 and 71,015 people (respectively). Ikuno is home to the largest population of Koreans in Japan, with 27,466 registered Zainchi Koreans living in Tsuruhashi district.

Hanami

Osaka, like many places across Japan, is well known for its spectacular display of cherry blossoms. During the last week of March and the first week of April, the cherry trees of Osaka come into bloom. This brief display of pink and white beauty attracts locals and tourists alike, with many people competing for the best spots in the city to take in the view and have a Hanami Picnic. In Osaka, the Osaka Castle Park and the Osaka Mint are both popular places to see the blossoms and spend a lovely afternoon.

A city of vending machines

Osaka has an incredible amount of vending machines that sell a truly bizarre array of items. From lobster, to flowers, to eggs, to hot meals, and umbrellas—Osaka’s many vending machines have something for everyone. In fact, it’s estimated that 3% of the city’s electricity production goes towards powering its 5.5 million vending machines.

Review Updated: September 7, 2020

Osaka Urban Area Population History

1950 7,005,000
1951 7,303,000
1952 7,613,000
1953 7,935,000
1954 8,272,000
1955 8,623,000
1956 8,989,000
1957 9,370,000
1958 9,768,000
1959 10,182,000
1960 10,615,000
1961 11,065,000
1962 11,534,000
1963 12,023,000
1964 12,534,000
1965 13,065,000
1966 13,509,000
1967 13,930,000
1968 14,364,000
1969 14,810,000
1970 15,272,000
1971 15,530,000
1972 15,719,000
1973 15,909,000
1974 16,102,000
1975 16,298,000
1976 16,453,000
1977 16,595,000
1978 16,738,000
1979 16,882,000
1980 17,028,000
1981 17,145,000
1982 17,253,000
1983 17,362,000
1984 17,472,000
1985 17,583,000
1986 17,731,000
1987 17,893,000
1988 18,057,000
1989 18,222,000
1990 18,389,000
1991 18,510,000
1992 18,617,000
1993 18,724,000
1994 18,831,000
1995 18,940,000
1996 18,918,000
1997 18,853,000
1998 18,789,000
1999 18,724,000
2000 18,660,000
2001 18,662,000
2002 18,687,000
2003 18,712,000
2004 18,737,000
2005 18,762,000
2006 18,853,000
2007 18,967,000
2008 19,082,000
2009 19,197,000
2010 19,313,000
2011 19,336,000
2012 19,328,000
2013 19,320,000
2014 19,313,000
2015 19,305,000
2016 19,297,000
2017 19,289,000
2018 19,281,000
2019 19,223,000
2020 19,165,000
2021 19,111,000
2022 19,060,000
2023 19,013,000
2024 18,967,000

Osaka Urban Area Population Projections

2025 18,922,000
2026 18,874,000
2027 18,823,000
2028 18,771,000
2029 18,715,000
2030 18,658,000
2031 18,599,000
2032 18,538,000
2033 18,475,000
2034 18,411,000
2035 18,346,000

Map of Osaka, Japan

Other Biggest Cities in Japan