<?xml version="1.0"?><?xml-stylesheet type="text/xsl" href="/Pages/Form4.xsl"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0609</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2026-04-08</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000004977</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>AFLAC INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>AFL</issuerTradingSymbol>
        <issuerForeignTradingSymbol></issuerForeignTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001783464</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Japan Post Holdings Co., Ltd.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerNonUSAddressFlag>true</rptOwnerNonUSAddressFlag>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>2-3-1, OTEMACHI, CHIYODA-KU</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>TOKYO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerNonUSStateTerritory></rptOwnerNonUSStateTerritory>
            <rptOwnerCountry>M0</rptOwnerCountry>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>100-8791</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription>JAPAN</rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <aff10b5One>1</aff10b5One>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2026-04-08</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness></transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>21691</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>111.78</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>51867409</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See footnote</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2026-04-08</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness></transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>135376</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>112.44</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>51732033</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See footnote</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2026-04-08</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness></transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>8933</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>112.98</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>51723100</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See footnote</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The price reported represents the weighted average price of shares of Common Stock of Aflac Inc. (the &quot;Issuer&quot;) sold in multiple transactions at prices ranging from $110.94 to $111.94 per share. The reporting person will provide to the Issuer, or the Securities and Exchange Commission staff, upon request, information regarding the number of shares sold at each price within the range.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The reported securities are held directly by J&amp;A Alliance Holdings Corporation (&quot;J&amp;A Holdings&quot;), in its capacity as the trustee of the J&amp;A Alliance Trust (the &quot;Trust&quot;). General Incorporated Association J&amp;A Alliance (&quot;General Incorporated&quot;), Kenji Sano and Tetsuya Numaguchi each may be deemed to beneficially own the securities held by J&amp;A Holdings (in its capacity as trustee of the Trust) because (i) General Incorporated owns J&amp;A Holdings and (ii) Kenji Sano and Tetsuya Numaguchi each own 50% of the equity interests in General Incorporated. Japan Post Holdings Co., Ltd. (&quot;Japan Post&quot;) may be deemed to beneficially own the shares of common stock owned directly by J&amp;A Holdings, in its capacity as the trustee of the Trust, due to its role as the sole settlor and beneficiary of the Trust. Each of General Incorporated, Kenji Sano, Tetsuya Numaguchi and Japan Post expressly disclaim beneficial ownership of the reported securities except to the extent of its pecuniary interest therein.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">The price reported represents the weighted average price of shares of Common Stock of the Issuer sold in multiple transactions at prices ranging from $111.9475 to $112.93 per share. The reporting person will provide to the Issuer, or the Securities and Exchange Commission staff, upon request, information regarding the number of shares sold at each price within the range.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">The price reported represents the weighted average price of shares of Common Stock of the Issuer sold in multiple transactions at prices ranging from $112.98 to $113.00 per share. The reporting person will provide to the Issuer, or the Securities and Exchange Commission staff, upon request, information regarding the number of shares sold at each price within the range.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Nobuyasu Kato, Rep. Exec. Officer and Executive Vice President of Japan Post Holdings Co., Ltd.</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2026-04-10</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
