The Greater Tokyo Area, the world's most populous metropolitan region, is home to approximately 37 to 41 million people. While the wider metropolitan area, including surrounding prefectures, holds this massive population, the Tokyo Metropolis proper has a population of over 14 million residents.
When including the greater Tokyo metropolitan area, this number swells to an astounding 37 million people, accounting for about 30% of Japan's total population. Tokyo's population density is one of the highest globally, with an average of about 6,158 people per square kilometer.
Yes, Tokyo is significantly bigger than London, especially when considering the Greater Tokyo Area (metropolitan area) which is the world's most populous urban region with over 37 million people, dwarfing Greater London's population and physical footprint, though Tokyo's core "23 special wards" area is closer in size to Greater London but still has more residents.
But this year, it's ranked third, while the top spot went to a different Asian capital. CNN's Lilit Marcus breaks it down. Since 2018, Tokyo has been the most populous city in the world but this year, that's changed to Indonesia's capital city, Jakarta. According to the UN, Jakarta has just shy of 42 million residents.
What salary is needed to live comfortably in Tokyo?
In Tokyo, a more comfortable lifestyle typically requires an annual salary closer to ¥7–8 million JPY or more, especially when factoring in higher housing costs, transportation, and leisure activities. Estimated monthly expenses for a single person living in Tokyo: Rent (1-bedroom): ¥110,000–150,000 JPY.
Tokyo, Japan, is the largest city on Earth, with a population of 37.4 million people, which is over four times the population of New York City, USA. In total, the Japanese metropolis covers an area of 13,452km2.
Statistical information is produced about the size and geographical breakdown of the population, the number of people entering and leaving country and the number of people in each demographic subgroup. The 2021 population of London was 8,799,800.
UN data published recently in the Economist ranked Tokyo's air pollution as “low” in every category except ozone, which was “high.” London and New York, by comparison, both ranked “high” or “moderate to heavy” in ozone and carbon monoxide. Los Angeles scored badly on those plus nitrogen dioxide and particulates.
This makes Tokyo both a city and a regional government, covering 2,194 square kilometers (847 sq mi). In contrast, the City of Paris is confined within its historic 20 arrondissements, spanning just 105 square kilometers (41 sq mi). That means Tokyo is over 20 times larger in land area than Paris.
Using the "One Metropolis Three Prefectures" definition, Tokyo is 13,555.65 square kilometres (5,233.87 sq mi), a similar size to that of Los Angeles County, and almost two-thirds smaller than the combined statistical area of New York City, at 30,671 square kilometres (11,842 sq mi) and 21.9 million people.
Take the same precautions you would at home and get local advice on areas where you might need to be more alert. Tokyo's entertainment districts carry a higher risk of crime, particularly at night in and around clubs and bars. Foreign nationals have been targeted for extortion, robbery, assault and sexual assault.
Most of the signs in the Tokyo Metro are also in English so navigating around in Tokyo will be the easiest and truthfully very manageable with only English. You will also find many shopkeepers, police, folks on street, tourism people who speak some English, and many who can communicate fairly well.
Konnichiwa is a common greeting for Japanese people. It's a general “hello” and can be used throughout the day – though early in the morning or late at night you'd be wiser to use ohayou and konbanwa.
The post-war Japanese economic miracle and the 1964 Summer Olympics allowed the city to rebuild and grow. The city's transportation needs were met by the interlocking of the Tokyo Metro, Toei Subway, and Shinkansen.
Yes, Tokyo is significantly bigger than London, especially when considering the Greater Tokyo Area (metropolitan area) which is the world's most populous urban region with over 37 million people, dwarfing Greater London's population and physical footprint, though Tokyo's core "23 special wards" area is closer in size to Greater London but still has more residents.
The city that has the highest population density in the world is Manila in the Philippines, which was found to have a population per square mile of 119,600.
