Jakarta, ThedailyID — Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has described the country’s population decline as a “quietly growing national crisis.”
“Population decline is a national crisis that is quietly growing,” Takaichi said, as reported by AFP.
She made the remarks during a policy speech before Japan’s parliament on Monday, October 5, 2026.
Takaichi pledged to develop a comprehensive strategy to address Japan’s shrinking and aging population by the end of this year.
The issue has become increasingly visible in Japan’s latest population data. Japan Today reported that the country’s 2025 census showed a population decline of about 2.5% compared with 2020.
Japan’s population also fell by 908,574 people, or 0.75%, in 2024. The decline was the largest recorded since Japan began keeping the relevant records in 1968, according to the source.
Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications currently puts the country’s population at around 120.6 million.
That figure is significantly lower than the 126.6 million recorded in 2009. The long-term decline has raised concerns about the country’s demographic future.
Takaichi said her government would formulate a strategy to respond to both population decline and the continued aging of Japanese society.
The planned strategy is expected to address the demographic challenge as the government seeks to respond to a shrinking population.
