Greater Tokyo Area

About

The Greater Tokyo Area is the third most populous metropolitan area in the world, consisting of the Kantō region of Japan (including Tokyo Metropolis and the prefectures of Chiba, Gunma, Ibaraki, Kanagawa, Saitama, and Tochigi) as well as the prefecture of Yamanashi of the neighboring Chūbu region. In Japanese, it is referred to by various terms, one of the most common being Capital Region (首都圏, Shuto-ken).

As of 2026, the United Nations estimates the total population at 36,954,512, making it the third-most populous urban area in the world. It is the second-largest single metropolitan area in the world in terms of built-up or urban function landmass at 8,547 square kilometres (3,300 sq mi), behind only the New York City metropolitan area at 4,495 square miles (11,640 km2). With around US$1.8 trillion in GDP, Tokyo remains the second-largest metropolitan economy in the world, also behind New York. According to the WIPO Innovation Cluster Rating 2025, the region is one of the three leading science and technology clusters in the world.