TOKYO, Japan: Japan's demographic challenges intensified in 2024, with the number of births falling to another all-time low—underscoring the urgency of what Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has called a "silent emergency."

According to data released this week by the Health Ministry, just 686,061 babies were born last year, marking a 5.7 percent drop from 2023 and the first time births have fallen below 700,000 since the government began recording data in 1899. It's the 16th consecutive year of decline and represents only about a quarter of the postwar baby boom peak of 2.7 million births in 1949.

The steady fall in births, alongside Japan's rapidly aging population, has heightened concerns over the long-term sustainability of the economy and national security, especially as Tokyo plans to ramp up defense spending.

Prime Minister Ishiba has pledged new steps to ease the burden on working parents, especially in rural regions. Traditional family norms can make balancing careers and childcare particularly difficult—especially for women. "A silent emergency," he warned, "requires bold solutions."

Japan is not alone in facing a birthrate crisis. South Korea and China have long battled similar demographic declines. This week, Vietnam announced the end of its long-standing two-child policy in an effort to reverse falling birth rates.

Japan's fertility rate—the average number of children a woman is expected to have in her lifetime—also declined to a record low of 1.15 in 2024, down from 1.2 a year earlier.

While the number of marriages rose slightly to 485,063, the overall downward trend dating back to the 1970s remains intact.

Experts argue that government policies have focused too narrowly on already-married couples and failed to address broader issues deterring young people from family life.

Among the main deterrents are bleak job prospects, a high cost of living, and a deeply gender-biased work culture that places disproportionate pressure on working mothers.

Social expectations also play a role. A growing number of women cite Japan's legal requirement that married couples share a surname—typically the man's—as a reason they choose not to marry.

With a population currently around 124 million, Japan is projected to shrink to 87 million by 2070, with 40 percent of citizens over 65. That demographic shift threatens to place severe pressure on healthcare systems, pensions, and labor markets in the decades ahead.