Japan's Births Fell In 2025
For the 10th year, Japan's births fell in 2025. There were 706,000 births and 1.6 million deaths. Not counting migration, that means Japan lost nearly 900,000 people last year.
This is very worrying for Japan. The population is predicted to drop a lot over the next few years. That means there will be less people working, less people paying taxes, more people taking pensions, businesses will have less customers and schools and universities will have less students.
I think that people see this is a problem, when really it is a symptom of many problems. Having children in Japan is very difficult and very expensive. Many things are getting more expensive, It is difficult for women to have a career and having children makes it almost impossible. These, and others, are the problems we have to fix.
In my opinion, Japanese society is too stiff. Japan won't change and the birthrate will continue to decline. I think we need to give young people more control,... more power. At the moment, old people are making all the decisions and the young feel helpless... if you felt helpless, would you want to start a family??
Graph source: https://www.city.tsubame.niigata.jp/material/files/group/18/09_rituteki_gaiyou.pdf (March 2024)
birth(s): 出生数
to fall, fell: 下がる、下がった
for the 10th year: 10年目
death(s): 死亡数
not counting migration: 移住者を除く
to lose, lost: 失う、失われる
worrying: 心配
is predicted: 予測される
to drop: 減少する
over the next few years: 今後数年間で
that means: それは、ということは
less people: 人口が減少する
paying tax(es): 税金を払うこと
taking pension(s): 年金を受け取ること
customer(s): 顧客
university, universities: 大学
see ～ as a problem: ～は問題だと思います。
it is a symptom of many problems: それは多くの問題の兆候である
having children: 子供を持つ
things are getting more expensive: 物価が上昇する
to have a career: キャリアを持つ
make ～ almost impossible: ～をほぼ不可能にする
to fix: 修正する
in my opinion: 私の意見では
stiff: 堅苦しい
birthrate: 出生率
to continue to decline: 減少し続ける
more control: より多くのコントロール
more power: より多くの権力
to make all the decisions: すべての決定を下す
to feel helpless: 無力感を感じる
to start a family: 家族を持つ
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