Busy urban lifestyles and long working hours leave little time for some Japanese to start families, and the rising costs of living that mean having a baby is simply too expensive for many young people.
Deaths have outpaced births in Japan for more than a decade, posing a growing problem for leaders of the world's third-largest economy. They now face a ballooning elderly population, along with a shrinking workforce to fund pensions and health care as demand from the aging population surges.
The declining social and cultural values are a major factor in Japan's low birth rate. Family, marriage, and having kids were very important in traditional Japanese society. The emphasis has changed recently, though, moving more towards independence and individualism.
A record 3 million foreign nationals were living in the country as of January 2023, when the data was tabulated. Japan's overall population fell to 125.42 million, a decrease of about 511,000 on the previous year, the study shows. Japan has the fastest-aging population of any post-industrial nation on earth.
These trends resulted in the decline of Japan's population beginning in 2011. In 2014, Japan's population was estimated to be 127 million. This figure is expected to shrink to 107 million (by 16%) by 2040 and to 97 million (by 24%) by 2050 if this current demographic trend continues.
Third, Japan's population structure was shifting and becoming increasingly elderly. The aging meant slower growth of the labor force. The aging and the declining fertility also reduced the domestic saving that supported economic expansion during the rapid economic growth period.
The country's high cost of living, limited space and lack of child care support in cities make it difficult to raise children, meaning fewer couples are having kids.
There are two ways to boost Japan's dismal birth rate from the domestic supply side. First, encourage couples to have more kids by paying them money. Second, support families with further economic benefits like paid parental leave or subsidized childcare.
Russia may be different. Its population is falling unusually fast and may drop to 130m by mid-century. The decline is associated with increased misery: the life expectancy at birth of Russian males plummeted from 68.8 in 2019 to 64.2 in 2021, partly because of covid, partly from alcohol-related disease.
The country's population fell in 2022 to 1.411 billion, down some 850,000 people from the previous year, China's National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) announced during a Tuesday briefing on annual data.
In the United States, the highest fertility rates (per 1,000 women ages 15-44) during 2018-2020 (average) were to Hispanic women (64.8), followed by blacks (62.6), American Indian/Alaska Natives (60.8), Asian/Pacific Islanders (55.6) and Whites (55.3).
In 2009, the Population Ordinance was amended to again restrict the number of children to be one or two children, although individuals were allowed to decide the timing and spacing of their births. The government is currently drafting a new Law on Population to replace the Population Ordinance in 2015.
Fewer than 800,000 babies were born in Japan last year, the lowest figure since Japan began tallying births in 1899 and the seventh year of declines in a row, according to government data. Japan's population has been shrinking for over a decade.
Tokyo (CNN) — Japan's population crisis is accelerating, with the number of nationals falling by more than 800,000 in the past year – echoing similar trends seen in other East Asian countries.
Japan's demographic crisis is the consequence of the combination of two elements: high life expectancy and a low fertility rate. Life expectancy for the Japanese population has increased steadily over the past few decades.
Japan experienced spectacular population growth after 1868; the population increased nearly fourfold since then. This increase was directly related to slow but steady urban growth; the development of Hokkaido, Tōhoku, and southern Kyushu; and the introduction of commercial agriculture.
Birth rate highs and lows
On the other side of the scale, the CIA estimates Monaco has the lowest birth rate in the world at 6.63 average annual births per 1,000 people per year.
It has even been reported that excessive alcohol consumption is to blame for nearly half of all premature deaths in Russia. A recent study blamed alcohol for more than half the deaths (52%) among Russians aged 15 to 54 from 1990 to 2001. For the same demographic, this compares to 4% of deaths for the rest of the world.
Although Islam is a minority religion in Russia, Russia has the largest Muslim population in Europe. According to the US Department of State in 2017, Muslims in Russia numbered 14 million or roughly 10% of the total population.
On the other hand, one of the common arguments for restricting immigration is based on safeguarding security, including public order, protecting welfare mechanisms, cultural stability, or social trust.
Supply chain issues, rising labor costs, and political issues have highlighted problems with Japan's reliance on China as a base for its manufacturing investments. With a low birthrate and aging population, Japan's social security system is under strain and is suffering from labor shortages.
Both the economic and family planning programs were instrumental in moving South Korea from one with a high fertility rate to one with a low fertility rate. As a result, the country's dependent population – the young and the elderly – grew smaller in relation to its working-age population.
Experts have attributed the trend to several factors, including a growing desire among young working women to enjoy the freedoms that come with being single and having a career.
Japan has developed a highly diversified manufacturing and service economy and is one of the world's largest producers of motor vehicles, steel, and high-technology manufactured goods (notably consumer electronics).
With a median age of 48.4 years, Japan's population is the world's oldest.