Historic decline in Japan's population: record loss in five years

In Japan, which is struggling with a rapidly aging population and a chronic decline in birth rates, recently released official census data has once again highlighted the extent of the demographic crisis. According to the results of the census conducted every five years, the country's population has fallen by 2.5 percent to 123 million over the past five years.

This decline was recorded as the largest population loss since censuses began in 1920. In the country whose population has been steadily declining for three consecutive periods, the fact that deaths are much higher than births is proven to be the main reason for this historic collapse.

All countries except Tokyo are shrinking

In Japan, which has the world's second-oldest population after Monaco, the child population rate fell to 10.8 percent, the lowest since records began in the 1950s. The demographic imbalance in the country is also deepening the gap between regions.

According to census results, the population is declining rapidly in all provinces except the capital Tokyo and Okinawa. As Tokyo's population increases by 1.4 percent, authorities stress that new steps must be taken to prevent this overcrowding and balance population distribution by attracting people and businesses to rural areas.

The foreign population is increasing, but that is not a solution

Although immigration work is seen as an alternative to the population crisis, political tendencies in the country take a cautious stance on this issue. The number of foreigners living in Japan has broken a record, reaching over 3.2 million. However, the fact that the country has leaders in power who take a tougher stance on immigration policy complicates the use of foreign labor as a permanent population solution.

2030 is the final turning point

The Japanese government admits that incentives such as increasing financial support for families raising children have so far had no effect.

To prevent this blood loss among the population, the authorities see the period up to 2030 as the “last chance for a turnaround” and are planning more comprehensive and radical measures to combat the crisis.