Japan’s birthrate continued its decade-long decline in 2025, with preliminary health ministry data released Thursday showing 705,809 babies born, a 2.1% decrease from the previous year. The figures encompass births to Japanese nationals within Japan, births to foreign nationals in the country and births to Japanese nationals abroad.
The data arrives as a challenge for Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who secured a landslide victory for the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in snap elections on February 8, gaining a two-thirds majority in the lower house of parliament. Takaichi, who became Japan’s first female premier in 2025, has repeatedly acknowledged the demographic crisis as a “quiet state of emergency” threatening the country’s future vitality, speaking to parliament last week about the issue.
Alongside the declining birthrate, 505,656 couples married in 2025, a slight increase of 1.1%, while divorces decreased by 3.7% to 182,969 cases. Deaths totaled 1,605,654, a decrease of 0.8% from the prior year. Japan’s overall population, estimated at 122.86 million as of February by the internal affairs ministry, has shrunk by 0.47%, or approximately 580,000 people, year-on-year.
The demographic trends exacerbate existing labor shortages, increase the burden on Japan’s social security system, and reduce the number of taxpayers supporting the nation’s substantial public debt – the highest ratio among major economies. Recent data indicates nearly 100,000 residents are aged 100 or older, with women comprising almost 90% of that cohort. Rural areas are particularly affected, with an estimated four million abandoned homes and more than 40% of municipalities facing potential extinction, according to recent studies.
Previous administrations, including Takaichi’s, have attempted to address the declining birthrate with limited success. Tokyo authorities have even launched a dating app requiring users to verify their single status and pledge their willingness to marry.
Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Masanao Ozaki acknowledged the lack of progress Thursday, stating, “I believe there were some successes. Unfortunately, still, we have not managed to reverse this trend.” He added that a “strong economy” is seen as a key factor in addressing the issue.
While economists suggest increased immigration could mitigate the demographic decline and labor shortages, Takaichi faces pressure from the Sanseito party to maintain stricter immigration policies. According to reporting from CNN on February 9, Takaichi has also expressed interest in deepening cooperation with the United States, particularly with President Donald Trump, in areas of economic security, including rare earths development. The AP reported on February 18 that Takaichi was reappointed by Parliament to form her second Cabinet following the election win.
