Nearly 1 million more people died in Japan in 2024 than were born, the sharpest demographic decline since statistics began in 1968, the BBC reports, Fokus reports.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba described the trend as a “quiet crisis“. His government is trying to stimulate the birth rate through free childcare and more flexible working hours, but the measures have so far failed to produce results.
According to data from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications published on Wednesday, the population has decreased by 908,574 people over the past 12 months. During this period, 686,061 babies were born, the lowest number since 1899, and 1.6 million people died. So for every child born in the country, two people die.
The demographic decline has been going on for 16 consecutive years, putting serious pressure on the pension and healthcare systems. Instead of an increase in the birth rate, Tokyo recorded an increase in the number of foreigners by 3.6 million people as of January 1, 2025, or about 3% of the population. Despite simplified procedures for attracting foreign workers, including the introduction of visas for digital nomads, the topic of migration remains a sensitive issue in Japanese politics.
People over 65 now make up 30% of the population, the second highest proportion in the world after Monaco. The share of people of working age (15-64 years) has fallen to 60%. More and more cities are deserted, and over 4 million homes have remained uninhabitable in the last two decades.