Japan records a record low number of newborns for the ninth consecutive year.

(Dan Tri Newspaper) - Despite government efforts to encourage people to have children, Japan is still witnessing a record low number of newborns, posing a major challenge for the future of its population and workforce.

Japan is facing a demographic crisis as the number of children being born continues to decline (Illustrative image: Kyodo News).

According to data from the Ministry of Health , Japan continues to face a demographic crisis as the number of newborns has fallen to its lowest level in history, marking nine consecutive years of decline with no sign of stopping.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced on February 27th that only 720,998 babies were born, a 5% decrease compared to the previous year. This is the lowest number since Japan began compiling birth rate statistics in 1899.

Even more concerning is that this decline is occurring 15 years faster than predicted, indicating that the rate of population aging and decline in Japan is far exceeding previous estimates. This suggests that government measures to stem the population decline have not been truly effective.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi acknowledged, "We have not been able to effectively control the decline in birth rates," while affirming that the government will continue to expand child-rearing support programs, increase subsidies for families with young children, improve wages, and promote matchmaking programs to encourage marriage.

However, at the current rate of decline, the number of children with Japanese citizenship (including foreign nationals born in Japan) born in 2024 could fall below 700,000 for the first time, 15 years sooner than previously predicted.

Meanwhile, another East Asian nation facing a demographic crisis, South Korea, has seen positive signs as the number of births increased for the first time in nine years. Experts suggest this may be due to an increase in the number of marriages after many couples had to postpone their weddings during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Huyen Mai

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-gioi/nhat-ban-ghi-nhan-so-tre-so-sinh-thap-ky-luc-trong-9-nam-lien-tiep-20250228165623862.htm