Japan Faces Critical Crisis as Birth Rate Hits Historic Low
Japan recorded only 720,988 births in 2024, marking the lowest number since records began 125 years ago. This is a 5% decline from the previous year and the ninth consecutive year of falling births, despite government initiatives to reverse the trend. With 1.6 million deaths last year, Japan’s population shrank by nearly 900,000 people, highlighting the nation’s rapid aging crisis. The country now has two deaths for every new birth, raising concerns about economic and social sustainability.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba acknowledged the ongoing decline but pointed to a slight 2.2% increase in marriages, emphasizing the link between marriage rates and childbirth. Experts warn that the Covid-19 pandemic’s impact on marriages still lingers, and the birth decline may persist into 2025.
Despite bold measures—expanded childcare, housing subsidies, a government-run dating app, and a four-day workweek experiment—former Prime Minister Fumio Kishida had previously warned: “Japan is standing on the verge of whether we can continue to function as a society.”
