Data released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications shows that the number of Japanese nationals living in the country dropped by over 900,000. There were over 680,000 births in 2024, a record low, while there were almost 1.6 million deaths, a record high.

 Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has described the demographic crisis as “quite an emergency”, vowing to implement family-friendly policies such as free childcare and more flexible working hours.

The government has tried to boost birth rates by offering incentives like housing subsidies and paid parental leave.

However, long-standing cultural and economic challenges still stand in the way.