Japan’s population declines straight for 14th year concerns rises

Japan’s population contracted by half a million last year , underscoring the country’s mounting challenges in tackling labor shortages and financing its social security system with a shrinking tax base.
The issue of population decline has been a major issue for the country, as japan is the third largest economy in the world, and the major population of the country has been ageing also.
The overall population dropped by 550,000 from the previous year to 123.8 million in 2024, extending the streak of declines to 14 years, according to data as of October 2024 released Monday by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications. The number of Japanese nationals alone declined by 898,000, the steepest fall since comparable records began in 1950.
The data also shows a decline in childbirth as reported by the labor ministry. Data also raised questions as births fell to a historic low, raising concerns over the long-term future of domestic industries amid a dwindling supply of new workers.
Japan’s unemployment rate is also among the lowest in OECD countries and has stayed below 3%. But by 2040 Japan will face a labor shortage according to the estimate of the Recruit Works Institute.
Well, while the country is dealing with a population crisis on the other hand foreign residents rose for the third straight year increasing by 342,000 from the year earlier , the latest data shows.
While Japan’s deals with a population crisis, global birth patterns for many countries are raising questions as countries like South Korea , China, and France are facing the same issues.