Population falls by half a million as birth rate stays low

THE national population contracted by half a million last year, underscoring Japan’s mounting challenges in tackling labour shortages and financing its social security system with a shrinking tax base.

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 on Monday by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.