Japan’s demographic crisis hits rock bottom with millions of deaths

Japan has witnessed nearly one million more deaths than births in 2024 as its demographic crisis hits rock bottom since records began six decades ago.

According to the latest data reported by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, the Asian country has experienced 686,061 births last year, the lowest since 1899.

On the other hand, the record-breaking 1.59 million deaths have brought the total population to 124.33 million.

Moreover, the year marks the 16th consecutive year of demographic decline, considering it the largest annual population decline.

The data also report a record number of foreign residents as high as 3.6 million as of January 2025, representing only 3 percent of population.

Japan is also grappling with the aging problem as 3 out of every 10 people are the age of 60 or above.

More worryingly, according to the World Bank, elderly people of age 65 now comprise 30 percent of the Japanese population, the second highest percentage in the world after Monaco.

In contrast, people belonging to the working age have shrunk to about 60 percent.

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has raised concerns over the growing population crisis by calling it a “quiet emergency” and pledging to introduce family-friendly policies in Japan.

The government has introduced the measure for the married couple but it falls short on encouraging the youth to get married as most of the youth are reluctant due to high cost of living, stagnant wages, and economic crisis.