Japan is going through very significant demographic shifts. At the same time, in 2024, babies born to foreign parents reached historic highs. Amid rising political tensions surrounding immigration, the latest data highlights the increasing role of foreign residents in the nation’s population dynamics. The country, currently home to approximately 125 million people, recorded the birth of 22,878 foreign children last year, marking a pivotal moment in its demographic landscape.
Keisuke Suzuki, Japan’s justice minister, recently indicated that by 2040, the proportion of foreign residents could exceed 10% of the nation’s population. This projection further matches the current trend of legal foreign residents, which have recently surpassed 3.95 million. Japan also happens to have one of the fastest-aging populations in the world’s history. As Japan faces a record low number of births, the country is experiencing an unprecedented increase in foreign-born births.
In 2024, Japanese married couples gave birth to just 686,173 births. This shocking figure speaks to Japan’s years-long efforts to achieve a sustainable birthrate. In reality, non-Japanese newborns have more than offset the overall decline in births. They currently make up an astounding 3.2% of all births in Japan. This dramatic rise in foreign births is a testament to how immigration is increasingly becoming an important part in solving our country’s demographic predicaments.
Japan, facing acute gaps in its labor market, is massively increasing its hiring of migrant workers. This decision has been the subject of energetic political controversy. Immigration has recently become an extremely contentious issue in national debates. In fact, during July’s upper house elections, the minor populist party Sanseito focused its campaign primarily on rallying opposition against foreign workers.
“Policies and help for foreign babies born here and their families are lagging in many localities, and most rely on nonprofit organisations,” – Toshihiro Menju.
The increase in foreign-born parents is just as impressive. Chinese women are currently the largest group of foreign mothers in Japan. This demographic shift raises questions about integration and support for these families as they navigate life in a new country.
Menju further raised concerns about the possible long-term societal impact of this demographic shift. He said all policies should promote “building an inclusive society.” He only wishes foreign-national children would grow up speaking Japanese, earning equivalent incomes to Japanese citizens and being able to support their families. His quotes underscore the importance of strong integration strategies. These will allow foreign children to flourish in equal measure alongside their Japanese counterparts.
As Japan continues to grapple with these issues, the risk of a bifurcated society is over the horizon. Menju cautioned that if these issues are serious not addressed, “we are going to have a divided society.” His remarks point to a growing impatience among advocates. They demand policies of inclusion in Japan—through immigration reform that welcomes foreign nationals, and helps them thrive in Japanese society.