Japan's Birthrate Crisis: Challenges Amid Dwindling Population

Japan witnessed a record low of 720,988 births in 2024, highlighting an aging and shrinking population. Despite initiatives by former PM Fumio Kishida, births continued to decline. Meanwhile, South Korea saw a fertility rate rise. Experts urge Japan to improve job opportunities and close the gender gap.

The number of babies born in Japan fell to a record low of 720,988 in 2024, marking the ninth consecutive year of decline, according to the health ministry. The decrease underscores the urgent issue of Japan's aging and shrinking population.

Despite attempts by former Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in 2023 to boost childbearing, Japan's birthrate continues to plummet, with births down 5% from the previous year and deaths outnumbering births by more than two-to-one.

Experts, like economist Takumi Fujinami, cite fewer marriages due to the COVID-19 pandemic as a key factor. Meanwhile, South Korea's fertility rate rose for the first time in nine years, offering a contrast to Japan's ongoing demographic challenges.