TOKYO. Japan’s birth rate continues to decline, with the number of newborns in 2024 reaching a historic low of 686,061, according to government data released on Wednesday. This marks a 5.7% drop from the previous year and the first time the number of births has fallen below 700,000 since records began in 1899. It is also the 16th consecutive year of decline, coming about 15 years earlier than government predictions.
This alarming trend, coupled with a shrinking and aging population, raises concerns about the sustainability of Japan’s economy and national security. Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has called it a “silent emergency,” pledging more flexible work environments and other measures to help married couples balance work and parenting. However, experts say these policies fail to address a growing number of young people who are increasingly reluctant to marry or have children, citing job insecurity, high living costs, and a corporate culture that places heavy burdens on women and working mothers.
The Health Ministry’s data also revealed Japan’s fertility rate — the average number of children a woman is expected to have in her lifetime — dropped to 1.15 in 2024 from 1.2 the year before. While the number of marriages saw a slight increase to 485,063 couples, the overall downtrend remains unchanged since the 1970s.
Many women also point to the pressure of changing their surnames upon marriage as a factor in their reluctance to wed. Under Japanese law, couples must choose either surname to legally marry, a tradition that often forces women to abandon their maiden names.
Japan’s population, currently around 124 million, is projected to decline to 87 million by 2070, with 40% expected to be over the age of 65.
