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Japan's Birth Rate Hits Record Low as South Korea Sees First Increase in Nine Years

Japan faces a worsening demographic crisis with record population decline, while South Korea reports a slight rise in births attributed to increased marriages and policy measures.

Image
A seven-month-old baby and her mother look at early flowering Kanzakura cherry blossoms in full bloom at the Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden in Tokyo, Japan March 14, 2018. REUTERS/Issei Kato/ File Photo
Visitors walk near the Gwanghwamun, the main gate of the 14th-century Gyeongbok Palace, one of South Korea's well known landmarks, in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Overview

  • Japan recorded 720,988 births in 2024, a 5% decrease from the previous year, marking the lowest number since records began in 1899.
  • Deaths in Japan reached a record 1.62 million in 2024, resulting in a population decline of nearly 900,000 people, with two deaths for every birth.
  • South Korea's fertility rate rose from 0.72 in 2023 to 0.75 in 2024, the first increase in nine years, driven by a 14.9% surge in marriages and government incentives.
  • Both Japan and South Korea are grappling with aging populations, but Japan's fertility rate remains higher at 1.2 compared to South Korea's 0.75, the lowest in the world.
  • Experts highlight the need for comprehensive societal reforms, including improved work-life balance and gender equality, to address long-term demographic challenges in both nations.