Japan’s population of Japanese nationals fell by a record 908,574 people, or 0.75%, in 2024, official figures from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications show. The drop—the steepest since the survey began in 1968—reduced the national tally to 120.65 million. Including foreign residents, the country’s overall population stood at 124.3 million on 1 January 2025, down 0.44% from the previous year. The demographic slide reflects a widening gap between births and deaths. Japan registered 686,061 births last year, the lowest count since records started in 1899, while deaths approached 1.59 million. For every baby born, more than two people died. The fertility rate sank to a record 1.15 children per woman, marking the 16th straight year of decline. Nearly 30% of residents are now aged 65 or older, and the working-age cohort (15–64) has fallen to about 60%. Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has labeled the trend a “quiet emergency” and pledged family-friendly policies such as free childcare and more flexible work hours, but results have so far been limited. Foreign residents, who hit a record 3.67 million and now make up almost 3% of the population, are helping ease labour shortages, yet immigration remains politically sensitive. Economists warn that a shrinking workforce and rising pension and healthcare costs will weigh on long-term growth unless Japan can arrest its demographic decline.