Tokyo: Japan recorded fewer than 700,000 births in 2024 for the first time in its history, highlighting the country’s ongoing demographic crisis. According to newly released government data, only 686,061 babies were born last year, a decline of 41,227 from 2023, and the lowest figure since records began in 1899.

The country’s total fertility rate—the average number of children a woman is expected to have—fell to 1.15, significantly below the 2.1 rate needed to maintain a stable population. Meanwhile, 1.6 million people died in 2024, marking a 1.9 percent increase in deaths compared to the previous year.

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has called the situation a "quiet emergency" and pledged to implement family-friendly policies, such as more flexible working hours, to encourage people to have more children. He has also emphasized the need to revitalize rural areas, where aging populations are increasingly isolated in depopulated villages.

Data from the Ministry of Internal Affairs shows that in more than 20,000 Japanese communities, the majority of residents are aged 65 or older. This demographic imbalance is putting pressure on healthcare, pensions, and labor markets, with the country of 123 million people facing a critical shortage of workers.

While Japan has started to ease immigration restrictions in recent years to help support its aging society, these measures have not been sufficient to offset the population decline.

Japan’s demographic challenges mirror those of neighboring South Korea, which had a fertility rate of just 0.75 in 2024, one of the lowest in the world. However, South Korea did see a slight increase in its birth rate due to a rise in marriages, offering a faint glimmer of hope.

Experts warn that without significant and sustained policy interventions, Japan’s shrinking population could have profound consequences for its economy, social structure, and global competitiveness.