Tokyo Loses 'Most Populous City' Title to Jakarta Amidst UN Methodology Shift & Sinking Crisis

• Jakarta, Indonesia, has surpassed Tokyo as the world's most populous city, now home to 42 million people according to the UN's World Urbanization Prospects 2025 report.
• The change is largely due to a revised UN methodology that includes satellite towns, suburbs, and economically connected informal settlements beyond official municipal boundaries.
• Jakarta's population growth is also fueled by annual 2% migration for economic opportunities, while Tokyo's population is declining due to low birth rates.
• Despite its growth, Jakarta faces a severe environmental crisis, sinking up to 25 cm annually, with 40% of the city now below sea level, prompting Indonesia to move its capital to Nusantara.
• Nine of the top 10 most populous cities are in Asia, highlighting a global shift in population growth towards developing nations, with Dhaka projected to be #1 by 2050.

Why It Matters: Jakarta is now the world's most populous city, driven by new UN metrics and migration, but faces a severe sinking crisis.