The population of Japan has continued to shrink, with the number of births in Japan falling for the 10th straight year in 2025, according to official data. Preliminary data from the Japanese Ministry of Health shows that in 2025, a total of 705,809 babies were born, down by 2.1% from 2024.
The data includes births to Japanese nationals in Japan, foreign births in Japan and babies born to Japanese nationals overseas.
Meanwhile, 505,656 couples got married in 2025, up 1.1%, while the number of divorces fell 3.7% to 182,969 cases. There were 1,605,654 deaths, down 13,030 or 0.8% from 2024.
Japan has one of the world's lowest birth rates and a falling and ageing population which leads to a host of problems, including labour shortages, a ballooning social security bill and fewer working people paying tax. That, in turn, is adding to Japan's huge debts. It already has the highest debt ratio among major economies.
Also, thanks to the declining fertility and reduced birthrate, Japan is also seeing its elderly population increasing every year since 1950. A surge in elderly people presents several social problems, especially for the healthcare system of the country.
Figures last year showed that the number of people aged 100 or older was almost 100,000, with close to 90% of them women. An estimate has said that by 2070, Japan’s population of those above 65 years of age would be 40% of the total. If current trends persist, Japan’s population of 124m is expected to fall to 87m by 2070.
The shrinking population is also adversely affecting rural communities. The number of abandoned homes in Japan is now around 4m. In addition, over 40% of municipalities risk extinction, according to a recent study.
Facing a shrinking life insurance market due to Japan’s declining population, the country’s life insurers are increasingly turning to related sectors such as nursing care and health support as part of their growth strategy.
Several reasons contribute to declining birth rates, including rising living costs, more women in education and work, as well as greater access to contraception, leading to women choosing to have fewer children. Also, it has been observed that couples do not have enough confidence in the future to make important long-term commitments such as marriage and having children.