Japan's population continues to decline, immigration efforts prove insufficient.

Japan's population has fallen for the 12th consecutive year, with deaths rising and the birth rate continuing to sink. The population stood at 124.49 million in 2022, representing a decline of 556,000 from the previous year. Japan has one of the lowest birth rates in the world, as well as one of the highest life expectancies, resulting in a swelling elderly population, shrinking workforce, and not enough young people to fill in the gaps. The situation is so dire that Japan's Prime Minister warned lawmakers in January that the country is "on the brink of not being able to maintain social functions" due to the falling birth rate.