The population crisis in Japan is sliding deeper, with 47 prefectures and prefectures reducing their workforce for the first time, resulting in a further reduction of 800000 people

The number of citizens has decreased by another 800000; The population has been shrinking for 14 consecutive years; For the first time, all 47 prefectures and counties across the country have reduced their staff; The number of births has dropped to a new historical low, and the number of deaths has reached a new historical high

The recently released population data from Japan depicts a bleak picture of an increasingly severe population crisis, raising concerns about the future of the world's third-largest economy.

14 consecutive years of shrinkage

The Japanese Ministry of General Affairs announced on the 26th the results of the population dynamics survey as of January 1st this year, providing multiple record breaking and alarming numbers.

Firstly, the number of Japanese citizens decreased by approximately 800000 to around 122 million, the highest decrease since the survey began in 1968. This is also the 14th consecutive year of population contraction in Japan.

From the perspective of the total population, it has also declined to about 125 million, a decrease of about 511000 compared to the previous year.

Secondly, for the first time in Japan, the population of all 47 prefectures and prefectures has decreased.

The reason is the "fall" in Okinawa Prefecture. Since being included in the survey in 1973, Okinawa Prefecture has been considered an "excellent candidate" for population growth. In the previous year's survey, thanks to the increase in population in Okinawa Prefecture, 47 prefectures were not completely wiped out. However, in this survey, Okinawa Prefecture was also not spared, experiencing a population decline for the first time.

Thirdly, the number of births has dropped to a new low of approximately 771800, and it is the first time on record that it has fallen below 800000; The death toll has risen to about 1.565 million, setting a new historical high. This is also the number of deaths exceeding births for over a decade in a row.

In contrast, the number of foreigners has risen against the trend, increasing by about 289000, reaching a record high of nearly 3 million, an increase of over 10%.

This is the largest year-on-year increase since the Japanese Ministry of General Affairs began tracking this data 10 years ago.

According to Japanese media, this is also the first increase of foreigners in recent three years, which is related to Japan's relaxation of entry restrictions on the COVID-19 epidemic. With the relaxation of epidemic prevention policies, foreign students and skilled interns are returning to Japan.

It is precisely because of the high influx of foreigners that, in terms of the total population, Tokyo can at least maintain a decent growth rate. Data shows that Tokyo has the highest number of foreigners, reaching approximately 581000, accounting for 4.2% of the capital's population.

How to maintain development

The latest population survey results in Japan have attracted global attention. The public opinion generally believes that this survey result highlights the reality of Japan's intensifying population crisis.

"How the world's third-largest economy will maintain its own development in the future is causing increasing concerns," wrote Newsweek in the United States.

Since the economic boom of the 1980s, Japan's population has been steadily declining due to a decrease in birth rates. The total fertility rate has fallen below 1.3, far below the 2.1 required to maintain population stability without immigration.

Meanwhile, Japan is also one of the countries with the highest per capita life expectancy in the world. According to official Japanese data, in 2020, nearly 1 out of every 1500 people in Japan reached or exceeded the age of 100.

The Deutsche Welle website points out that Japan's population is decreasing at the fastest rate in history. Due to a decline in birth rates and relatively fewer immigrants, Japan's aging rate is also faster than any other industrial country.

According to The Guardian, Japan's aging population has affected all aspects of society. More than half of the cities have been identified as sparsely populated areas, schools are being closed, and over 1.2 million small business owners are around the age of 70 with no successors. Even the Japanese underworld is affected: most gang members are over 50 years old, with more elderly members in their 70s than young members in their 20s.

CNN pointed out that the number of deaths has exceeded the number of births for over a decade, posing an increasingly severe challenge for Japanese leaders: on one hand, the elderly population is constantly expanding, while on the other hand, the labor force that provides funding for pensions and healthcare is decreasing.

Kyodo News Agency commented that the latest survey results reflect the severity of the problem of declining birth rates. To maintain the normal operation of regional society, it is urgent to take measures to ensure the employment of young people and women.

"The Owl of East Asia"

Faced with the dangerous trend of rapid population decline, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida issued a warning in January this year, stating that Japan is "on the brink of being unable to maintain social functions.".

To this end, reversing the declining birth rate and addressing the sharp decline in population have become the primary tasks of Fumio Kishida.

On April 1st this year, the Kishida government established a Children's Family Department to address the issue of declining birth rates.

Despite high debt levels, the government plans to allocate 3.5 trillion yen annually for childcare and other measures to support parents in order to encourage childbirth. This amount accounts for approximately 4% of Japan's gross domestic product.

After the latest population survey results were released, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroyoshi Matsuno also stated at a press conference, "The government will promote relevant reforms to maximize employment for women, the elderly, and others to ensure the stability of the labor market."

In order to fill the labor shortage and balance the population, the Japanese government is also striving to relax some strict immigration regulations and try to introduce more foreign residents and workers.

In 2018, the Japanese parliament approved a new policy proposed by then Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, which would establish a new visa category that would allow approximately 340000 foreign workers to work in high skilled, low paying jobs.

In 2021, the Japanese government took a breakthrough step by stating that it is considering allowing foreigners engaged in certain technical work to stay in Japan indefinitely.

However, affected by the COVID-19, Japan implemented epidemic prevention restrictions, and this reform failed to advance smoothly.

Reuters believes that the latest survey results show an increase in the number of foreigners, indicating that foreigners are playing an increasingly important role in alleviating Japan's population decline.

A report released by the Japan International Cooperation Agency last year pointed out that by 2040, Japan needs approximately four times the number of foreign workers at the 2020 level to achieve the government's economic goals.

However, CNN believes that in Japan, a highly homogeneous country with relatively low immigration levels, it is not easy to open the door to foreigners.

There are also comments pointing out that the population crisis in Japan is in line with the declining population trends in other Asian countries such as South Korea, so Japan's solution may serve as a mirror for other countries, although its solution has yet to be effective.

For example, data released by South Korea on the 27th showed that the population has decreased for two consecutive years for the first time. The East Asia Daily cited an analysis that the "low fertility shock" of more deaths than newborns has officially begun to have an impact on population size.

Tom Le, Associate Professor of Political Science at Pomona College and Assistant Researcher at the PRIME Institute at Meiji University, believes that owls are often seen as ominous birds, but they are also messengers of warning. Japan has always been the "owl of East Asia" on many issues, especially aging and population decline. How Japan responds to the population crisis may provide lessons for other countries facing similar problems.