Japanese Population Decline
This topic of “Japanese Population Decline” is important from the perspective of the UPSC IAS Examination, which falls under General Studies Portion.
News
- Japan records the steepest population decline, marking the 14th consecutive year of decline.
Highlights
- The Japanese population has been declining since its peak in 2008, largely attributed to a declining birthrate.
- Last year, there were only 771,801 births recorded, which is a record low.
- The number of Japanese nationals declined by 0.65%, equivalent to 800,000 people, bringing the total population to 122.4 million in 2022 compared to the previous year.
- Population decline was observed in all 47 prefectures for the first time.
- On the other hand, the number of foreign residents reached a new high of 3 million people, accounting for 2.4% of the total population.
Significance
- The declining Japanese population and the increasing number of foreign residents reflect the changing dynamics and the role played by non-Japanese individuals in an aging and shrinking Japan.
Who
- The data on the Japanese population decline comes from the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry.
Facts
- In response to the shrinking population, the Japanese cabinet approved a plan to expand job categories allowed for foreign workers, potentially opening the door for future permanent residency.
- This represents a major shift in the country, which has been historically known for its closed-door immigration policy and is now grappling with the challenges posed by a declining population.
