Japan’s birth rate plummeted to an all-time low in 2024, with just 720,988 babies born—the fewest since record-keeping began 125 years ago—according to data released by the Health Ministry on Thursday.

The figure marks a 5% drop from the previous year and represents the ninth consecutive year of decline, despite government efforts to stem the tide of a shrinking and rapidly aging population.

The stark numbers paint a grim picture for Japan, where deaths vastly outpaced births last year. With a record 1.6 million deaths recorded in 2024, the population shrank by nearly 900,000, factoring in emigration. This means two people died for every child born, amplifying concerns about the country’s economic stability and national security as its workforce dwindles and elderly population swells.

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba addressed the crisis, acknowledging the failure to reverse the downward trend. “We need to be aware the trend of falling births has not been arrested,” Ishiba said. However, he pointed to a silver lining: marriages rose by 2.2% to 499,999 in 2024, a modest rebound after a 12.7% plunge in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. “Given the close ties between the number of marriages and births, we should focus on this aspect as well,” he added, signaling a shift in policy emphasis.

Japan remains the world’s fastest-aging nation, with nearly 30% of its population—over 36 million people—already aged 65 or older. Experts attribute the persistent birth decline to fewer marriages in recent years, a trend exacerbated by the pandemic’s social and economic fallout. Even with the slight uptick in marriages, analysts warn the recovery may not be enough to halt the demographic slide.

Past governments have thrown significant resources at the problem. Former Prime Minister Fumio Kishida rolled out initiatives like expanded childcare, housing subsidies, and a state-run dating app to spur marriage and childbearing. More recently, authorities have trialed a four-day workweek for employees of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government—one of Japan’s largest employers—hoping to ease work-life balance pressures and encourage family growth.

Yet, these measures have so far failed to turn the tide. As Japan grapples with an aging society and a shrinking population, the 2024 figures underscore the urgency of finding effective solutions to a crisis threatening the nation’s future. (ILKHA)