Japan recorded its largest-ever population decline last year with nearly one million more people died than the number of babies born.
According to the new government data, Japan's population of Japanese citizens dropped by 908,574 people last year.
For the 16th year in a row, the country's population has continued to decrease which is putting pressure on important systems like pensions and healthcare that rely on a growing population to function properly.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has acknowledged Japan's ageing population and low birth rate as a "quite emergency," and promised to support families by offering facilities like free childcare and more flexible work schedules.
However, despite these efforts, there were only 686,061 babies born, the lowest number ever recorded since 1899.
On the other hand, as of January 1, 2025, Japan had a record 3.6 million foreign residents, making up about 3% of its population.
The government has cautiously started allowing more foreign workers by introducing programs like digital nomad visa and jib training programs.
The overall population of the country declined by 0.44 percent from 2023 to about 124.3 million at the start of the year.
Nearly 30% of the population is now aged 65 or older which is one of the highest rates in the world.
Meanwhile, the number of people in the working age group has fallen to around 60% of the population.
