As rest of Japan shrinks, Tokyo population count tops 13 million for the first time

Tokyo population tops 13 million for first time

TOKYO — The population of Japan’s capital — one of the biggest cities in the world — has surpassed 13 million for the first time in history, the Tokyo government said Wednesday.

Tokyo counted 13.01 million residents as of April 1, up 0.5 percent from the same month a year earlier, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government said.

The latest figure contrasts with the overall demographic trend in Japan, which faces long lifespans, stubbornly low birth rates and a shrinking population. Japan’s total population peaked at 127.84 million in 2004, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.

Meanwhile, Tokyo continues to grow, adding 1 million people over the last decade. A recent boom in condominium construction and an expanding foreign community contributed to the population growth, particularly in central Tokyo, said Yuko Sakurai, a spokeswoman for the Tokyo government’s statistics division.

The search for better jobs is also drawing people to Tokyo. Though recovering, Japan’s labor market remains weak. The country’s unemployment rate hit a record high of 5.6 percent in July last year as the global downturn forced companies to cut costs.

Tokyo’s population is expected to keep increasing until peaking around 2015, she said.

The data is based on the 2005 national census and subsequent monthly counts of resident registries.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government administers a sprawling region that covers 845 square miles (2000 square kilometers) and consists of 23 central wards, 26 cities, five towns and eight villages.