Topic Overview:
Population decrease has been a serious issue in Japan, and although the government has made some efforts, no measures have been effective enough to stop the trend. As of January 1, 2025, the total population was 124,330, including foreign nationals. The number has dropped by approximately 554,485 people, or 0.44 percent, marking one of the largest declines on record. Some of the reasons are the low birth rate, low wages, shortage of living space, harsher employment conditions, and the heavy responsibility placed on women. However, the research explains that the population is rising in Chiba and Tokyo because immigrants and workers from overseas are increasing, which the government is struggling to handle due to the rapid growth of the foreign population. Furthermore, experts emphasize that Japan needs stronger nationwide measures and protections to address the demographic challenges.
From a worldwide perspective, the records show that Japan is not the only country experiencing a historically low birth rate. South Korea has an even worse birth rate, China’s population continues to decline, and England and Wales are also seeing a steady drop in fertility rates. Japan remains the most rapidly aging country in the world, with a situation where one baby is born while two people die, and the average is now over 65.
Government Population Measures:
Expanding childcare services
Providing housing subsidies
Launching a matchmaking app
Offering a 100,000 yen bonus for expecting mothers
Easing immigration policies to attract more young workers
My personal view:
I was aware that the population in Japan has been decreasing, and that the average age is rising at the same time. However, I was surprised by the rate at which for every one newborn baby, two people die. Moreover, society often criticizes tourists and non-Japanese residents for various behaviors, but when it comes to measures to increase the population, the government has introduced policies to attract immigrants. Attracting young immigrants requires better workplaces, higher wages, and supportive policies. I believe that no single solution can solve the problem alone; a pyramid approach, where one measure leads to another, would be a better option.
Why I decided to focus on this issue:
The number of population is one of the most important records to track, as it shows clear effects on the economy, healthcare, and social services. These issues are already affecting our daily lives, and the shortage of labor is becoming another serious concern. This is why I felt it was necessary to look deeper into the problem and understand what Japan can do to change its future.
Bose, S. (2025, January 2). World population to decrease for the first time in centuries. ED Times | Youth Media Channel. https://edtimes.in/world-population-to-decrease-for-the-first-time-in-centuries/
Broadcasting, N. (2025, August 7). Japan’s population shrinks again — and for Japanese nationals, it’s a record drop. NHK WORLD. https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/backstories/4199/
Yeung, J., & Asada, Y. (2025, August 7). Japan’s population decline keeps getting worse. Last year, it saw a record drop. CNN World. Retrieved December 2, 2025, from https://edition.cnn.com/2025/08/07/asia/japan-biggest-population-decline-record-intl-hnk
ThePrint. (2025, February 28). Japan’s population is shrinking, number of babies born in 2024 lowest in 125 years [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mm0LfZ2bWgY
Despite the negative effects that population decline has on individual countries, the fact that the WORLD population is decreasing for the first time in hundreds of years, could be a positive thing for the planet as a whole. The world population is around 8.2 billion people, and if that number of people lived like typical Americans or Japanese (that is, had a similar "carbon footprint"), the climate crisis and animal extinctions would be at even more horrendous levels than they are now.
ReplyDeleteSo, for the world population to be decreasing might be seen as a positive thing. Hopefully, it's due to fewer births rather than more premature deaths. I'm afraid that the Trump administration's cuts to USAID humanitarian support will be increasing deaths in the world due to AIDS, preventable diseases such as polio and measles, etc. Those reasons for a declining world population won't be good.
Which of the measures that the Japanese government is considering to reverse population decline in Japan do you think is most promising? Do you have any other ideas? It doesn't seem as though people in Japan are panicking about the population decline. Maybe people think that robots will come to the rescue.