AP: birth rate in Japan dropped to record low
According to government data released in early May, the number of newborns in Japan is declining faster than predicted, and their number in 2024 fell to a new record low, The Associated Press reports
Japan’s Health Ministry reported that 686,061 babies were born in the country in 2024, which was 5.7 percent less than in the previous year. For the first time since the beginning of statistics, the number of newborns fell below 700 thousand. That’s the 16th year of decline.
"It’s about one-quarter of the peak of 2.7 million births in 1949 during the postwar baby boom. The data in a country of rapidly aging and shrinking population adds to concern about the sustainability of the economy and national security at a time it seeks to increase defence spending,” the publication reads.
The country's Prime Minister, Shigeru Ishiba, described the situation as ‘a silent emergency’ and promised to promote more flexible working conditions and other measures that would help married couples find a balance between work and raising children. This is especially true for the population living in rural areas, where family values are usually more conservative, and stricter conditions are imposed on women.
As noted by experts, the government's measures do not solve the problem of the growing number of young people who do not want to get married, as they are mainly focused on already married couples.
