Tokyo Had 65,000 More People Move In Than Out In 2025; Osaka Area Also Saw Gains

The Yomiuri Shimbun

2:00 JST, February 4, 2026

Tokyo had a net migration gain of 65,219 people in 2025, but the margin declined by 14,066 people from the previous year, marking the first decline in four years, according to a government report released Tuesday.

The Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry released its annual report on internal migration in Japan derived from basic resident registration records, aimed at providing statistics on both Japanese and foreign residents in the country.

People moving into Tokyo from other prefectures totaled 451,843 in 2025, down by 9,611 from 2024, while those moving out of the capital were 386,624, up by 4,455 from the previous year. The net migration surplus had shrunk in 2020 and 2021 but had been expanding again since 2022.

The greater Tokyo area — comprising Tokyo and the three surrounding prefectures of Kanagawa, Saitama and Chiba — saw its net migration surplus decrease by 12,309 people from the previous year to 123,534, also marking the first decline in four years.

The greater Osaka area — comprising Osaka, Hyogo, Kyoto and Nara prefectures — had a net migration surplus of 8,742 people, increasing for the second consecutive year. The net migration gain was up by 6,063 from the previous year. The greater Nagoya area — comprising Aichi, Gifu and Mie prefectures — recorded a net outflow of 12,695 people.

By prefecture, Tokyo, Kanagawa, Saitama, Chiba, Shiga, Osaka and Fukuoka had more people moving in than out. Of the seven prefectures, Kanagawa saw the largest year-on-year increase in net migration.

The remaining 40 prefectures experienced net migration outflows, with Hiroshima Prefecture recording the largest net migration outflow of 9,921 people. Miyazaki Prefecture saw the largest increase in net outflow compared to the previous year.

While the net migration surpluses into Tokyo and the greater Tokyo area have both decreased, the trend of population concentration in Tokyo remains unchanged. The net migration gain into the capital in 2025 reached a level 12 times higher than that of 2021, when it hit a record low of 5,433 people.

The trend continues, particularly among young people aged between 15 and 29, who move to Tokyo for education, employment opportunities and job transfers. Regarding net migration in different age groups, people aged 20 to 24 had the largest surplus moving into Tokyo at 57,263.

According to the report, 25 prefectures had a net migration gain in foreign nationals, with Saitama Prefecture having the largest increase of 9,898 people.