Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – Japan admits that the decline in the number of births in the country is in a critical situation. For this reason, the Japanese government will take new measures. A similar condition also occurs in South Korea. Reportedly, due to the decreasing number of newborns, elementary schools (SD) in a number of areas now have no new grade 1 students.
Reuters reported that the number of babies born in Japan fell for eight consecutive years and set a new record low in 2023. This can be seen in the latest government data released on Tuesday (27/2/2024).
According to this data, the number of births fell 5.1% from the previous year to 758,631, while the number of marriages fell 5.9% to 489,281. This is the first time in 90 years that the number of marriages has fallen below 500,000. On the other hand, births within marriage are rare in Japan.
When asked about the latest data, a Japanese government spokesman said the government would take “unprecedented steps” to address falling birth rates, such as expanding child care services and encouraging wage increases for young workers.
“The decline in the birth rate is in a critical situation,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters, as quoted by Reuters. “The next six years or so until 2030, when the number of young people will decline rapidly, will be the last chance to reverse the trend.”
Given the potential social and economic impact, as well as the pressure on public finances, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida called the trend the most severe crisis Japan has faced. His government launched a series of measures to support households with children at the end of last year.
According to estimates by the National Institute of Population and Social Security Research, Japan's population will likely decline by about 30% to 87 million by 2070, with four out of every 10 people aged 65 or older.
Class 1 of elementary school in South Korea is empty
A similar phenomenon is also occurring in South Korea (South Korea), which is currently experiencing a record low number of new students in grade 1 of elementary school. It is feared that many first grade elementary schools in South Korea will be empty.
The local Ministry of Education stated that there were no Grade 1 students enrolled in 157 elementary schools. As reported by The Korea Herald, Tuesday (27/2/2024), schools in that country will start next March.
For this year, at least one school per province and metropolitan area has no new students. The most common phenomenon occurs in North Jeolla Province with 34 elementary schools.
Of the 369,441 children set to start school, 369,325 children have registered for school. The number decreased from the government's estimate of 368,533 people.
The decline in the number of school children has been predictable since 2017. Children starting school in 2024 were born that year.
At that time only 356,771 babies were born. This figure has also decreased.
For example, from January to November 2023 the number of births will only be 213,571 babies. Throughout last year it is estimated that there were under 230 thousand babies.
Meanwhile, in 2022 the number of babies born will be 254,628. The decline has occurred for eight consecutive years since 2015.
[Gambas:Video CNBC]
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