ISTANBUL

Japan has posted a record fall in its national population, dropping by around 908,000, new government data said Wednesday.

The current population stands at 120.65 million after growth declined for the 16th straight year, Kyodo News reported.

Tokyo began calculating population numbers in their current form in 1968.

Japan’s Diet (parliament) last year passed a law aiming to reverse the falling birthrate. Measures under the law include expanded child allowances and enhanced parental leave benefits.

Officials have warned that the period leading up to 2030 represents a critical window to address the trend. Late marriages, financial insecurity, and limited support for working parents are commonly cited as contributing factors.

In 2023, Japan's total fertility rate – the average number of children a woman bears in her lifetime – fell to its lowest level since records began in 1947.