Under 2024, fewer than 700,000 children were born in Japan for the first time since statistics began in 1899. Over 686,000 children were born during the year, which is more than 41,000 fewer than the year before.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has called the situation a "silent emergency" and has promised several measures, including more flexible working hours, to try to reverse the trend.
Japan has the second-oldest population in the world after Monaco, according to the World Bank.
In 2024, 1.6 million people died in the country, which is 1.9 percent more than in 2023.
