Japan’s population continues to decline due to aging, low birth rates, official data says

Japan’s population has decreased for the 15th consecutive year, with a drop of over half a million people, according to government data released on Wednesday, attributing the decline to an aging population and low birth rates.

Last year, Japan recorded a historic low of 730,000 births and a record high of 1.58 million deaths. As of January 1, Japan’s population stood at 124.9 million.

Data from the Internal Affairs Ministry also revealed that a 11 percent rise in foreign residents pushed their population over 3 million for the first time. Foreign residents, who are primarily of working age (15 to 64), now comprise nearly 3 percent of Japan’s total population.

Surveys indicate that younger Japanese are increasingly reluctant to marry or have children, deterred by poor job prospects, a high cost of living that outpaces salary growth, and a gender-biased corporate culture that disproportionately affects women and working mothers.

According to experts, Japan’s population is expected to decrease by about 30 percent to 87 million by 2070, with four out of every ten people projected to be 65 years or older.