Japan records lowest-ever birth rate as population decline continues

Japan recorded its lowest number of births since records began in 1899, with just 686,061 babies born in 2024, according to new figures released by the Ministry of Health. The data marks the ninth consecutive annual decline in births.

The total fertility rate—the average number of children a woman is expected to have in her lifetime—also fell to a record low of 1.15, down from 1.20 the previous year. Japan’s fertility rate has remained well below the replacement level of 2.1 for decades, raising long-term concerns about labor shortages, social security sustainability, and economic growth.

At the same time, the number of deaths reached an all-time high of 1,605,298, resulting in a natural population decline of 919,237—the largest drop ever recorded and the 18th consecutive year of population loss.

The statistics also showed a slight increase in marriages, totaling 485,063, and a modest rise in divorces at 185,895. The number of stillbirths declined to 15,322.

The Japanese Ministry of Health confirmed that the number of annual births dropped below 700,000 for the first time in more than a century of recordkeeping.

The continued population decline poses a significant challenge for the country, which has one of the world’s oldest populations and has struggled to reverse the trend despite years of policy efforts promoting child-rearing and work-life balance.