Japan’s birthrate hits record low, raising alarm over demographic crisis

Japan’s birthrate hits record low, raising alarm over demographic crisis

Japan recorded fewer than 700,000 births in 2024 for the first time since records began in 1899, highlighting a deepening demographic crisis, The Guardian reported. Government data revealed 686,061 births last year—a 5.7% drop from 2023—and a record-low fertility rate of 1.15, far below the 2.1 needed for population stability.

Deaths rose to 1.6 million, widening the population decline. Despite a slight rise in marriages to 485,063, birth and fertility rates have declined for nine consecutive years. The new figures arrive 15 years earlier than official forecasts, with Japan’s population of 124 million projected to shrink to 87 million by 2070, 40% of whom will be aged 65 or older.

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has called the trend a “silent emergency,” launching new family support measures. However, critics argue the government’s focus on married couples overlooks the challenges facing younger, single individuals deterred by economic insecurity and rigid workplace culture.