Last year, the number of births in Japan fell below 700,000 for the first time on record, according to government data. In 2024, 686,061 babies were born in Japan, which was 41,227 fewer than in 2023, and the lowest number since records began in 1899. This was the ninth consecutive low and said to be due to marrying later and the perceived high cost of raising children.
Prime Minister Ishiba called the situation a “quiet emergency”, and pledged to enact family-friendly measures, like more flexible working hours in order to reverse the trend.
Japan had 1.6 million deaths in 2024, which was 1.9% greater than 2023, according to data released by the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare. Japan has the second oldest population in the world, after Monaco. Japan faces severe worker shortages as the population ages and fewer babies are born.
Low birthrates is a world wide problem and Japan is one of the first to suffer. Soon all countries will have lower populations, including India and China. One area only will continue to grow, the billion people in Africa. I see it here in the USA where many young women choose to not have children.
Low birthrates is a world wide problem and Japan is one of the first to suffer. Soon all countries will have lower populations, including India and China. One area only will continue to grow, the billion people in Africa. I see it here in the USA where many young women choose to not have children.
ReplyDeleteTerra is right - it is a problem the world over. The online Swedish newspaper I read discussed the same problem.
ReplyDelete