Japan records largest annual population decline since records began
The country recorded only 686,061 births, the lowest since 1899, alongside 1.59 million deaths, reducing the total population to 124.33 million.
This 16th consecutive year of population shrinkage, combined with an ageing demographic where nearly three in 10 people are aged 65 or older, poses significant concerns for Japan's economy and national security.
Despite the overall decline, the number of foreign residents reached a record 3.6 million, now constituting three per cent of the total population.
Government initiatives, such as free childcare, have largely failed to reverse the trend, with experts attributing the low birth rates to bleak job prospects, high living costs, and corporate culture's burden on women.
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