Einar H. Dyvik
Research expert covering Nordics and global data for society, economy, and politics
Fertility decline in Japan - statistics & facts
Japan is one of the few super-aged societies worldwide and has faced a prolonged fertility decline for decades. Following the end of World War II, the nation experienced swift economic growth, improvements in the health care system, and a subsequent baby boom (1947-1949). However, after the second baby boom (1971-1974), Japan saw a downturn in the fertility rate. This downward trend was mainly attributed to the economic recession from the 1973 oil crisis and concurrent social shifts aiming for a stationary population. The rate continued to decline into the 1990s, partially due to an accelerated female employment rate and rising average marital age. Despite several countermeasures attempted by the government, circumstances did not substantially improve in the following twenty years. In 2023, the total fertility rate marked the lowest in history at 1.2 and further increased concerns for the country鈥檚 demographics.
