In the latest episode of Japan Today Spotlight, we dive into something that’s been a growing concern here in Japan for years: the country’s plummeting birth rate.

In 2024, Japan recorded just 720,988 births — the lowest number since records began in 1899. It’s the ninth straight year the number has dropped, and it’s creating serious problems for the economy, the social safety net and even daily life in both the larger cities and smaller, rural towns.

This isn’t just about people choosing not to have kids. There are deeper issues:

• A demanding work culture that leaves little time for family life
• Low wages, rising living costs and limited housing options
• Very little support for single parents or unplanned pregnancies
• Long-standing cultural expectations that are tough to change
• And yes, even Japan’s rural depopulation and strained pension system play a role

In the video, I also touch on how Japan’s government is responding, what might be learned from South Korea (the country with the lowest birth rate in the world, which just saw a rare bump) and why immigration is a controversial — but potentially necessary — part of the conversation here.

Watch the full episode here: 

If you’re interested in what life is really like here, or curious about how Japan is handling some of the same challenges other countries are beginning to face, I think you’ll find it worth a watch.