Particle.news
Download on the App Store
8 ARTICLES
·
3w ago

Japan’s Fertility Rate Falls to Record Low as Births Drop Below 700,000

Despite aggressive new measures to support childrearing, Japan’s birthrate has hit another low

People walk along a pedestrian crossing at a shopping street Wednesday, June 4, 2025, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Image
The abandoned Okumo Elementary School is shown after it was closed in 2016 due to a declining birth rate, in Tamba-Sasayama, Japan. The country's falling birth rate is deeply impacting rural areas and small towns, leading to serious economic and social challenges.
Image

Overview

  • Official Health Ministry figures show the total fertility rate declined from 1.20 to 1.15 in 2024, the lowest level since records began in 1947.
  • The 686,061 newborns registered last year marked the first time annual births fell under 700,000, a 5.7% decrease from 2023.
  • Deaths reached about 1.61 million in 2024, leading to a net population loss of roughly 919,000 and the 18th straight year of decline.
  • The government’s expanded family subsidies, tuition-free high school and full wage compensation for dual parental leave have yet to reverse the downward trend.
  • Continued demographic decline threatens a projected shortfall of 6.3 million workers by 2030 and adds strain to Japan’s pension and social welfare systems.