Study suggests Japan could lose 30% of population by 2070

Tokyo, Apr 26 (EFE).- An official study published Wednesday in Japan suggests the country’s population could fall by almost a third come 2070.

The report by the National Institute of Population and Social Security, attached to the health ministry, said the 30-percent decrease would also put people over 65 at almost 40 percent.

It made the projection based on current low birth rate and aging trends.

The study forecasts that Japan will be home to about 87 million people by 2070 as opposed to the 126 million in 2020, showing the demographic challenge facing the country, which has one of the world’s oldest populations.

This figure includes 10 percent of foreigners and 39 percent of people over 65. These are significant increases compared to percentages registered in 2022, 2.2 percent and 29 percent, respectively.

The estimates were calculated based on the decreasing fertility rate, which the institute places at about 1.3 children per woman for the coming years.

The institute forecasts the number of newborns in the country to fall below 700,000 in 2043, after the figure dipped below 800,000 last year, marking a new all-time low. The report also estimates Japan’s population will drop below 100 million by 2056.

Likewise, it said that by 2070 the life expectancy of men would increase to 85.89 and that of women to 91.94, compared to the current 81.58 and 87.72, respectively.

Based on these estimates, the health ministry will review its public pension financing system and study measures to curb the declining birth rate.

The government launched a new agency in early April to coordinate policies for the birth and raising of children to “lead the creation of a favorable society for children and their care,” Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said.

Kishida has also promised to double the budget aimed at supporting the birth rate and raising children, among other measures focused mainly on the economic aspect, which some experts say are insufficient to address the serious population problem. EFE

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