Why has Japan’s population declined and aged since the late 20th century?

Japan’s population has been declining and aging since the late 20th century primarily due to a sustained drop in birth rates and fertility rates, which have fallen well below the replacement level of 2.1 children per woman.12

Several factors contribute to these demographic shifts:

• Family Formation: Marriage rates have declined significantly, and individuals are increasingly delaying childbirth, leading to a rise in the average maternal age at first birth.1
• Work Culture: Structural features of the labor market, including long working hours and difficulties in balancing employment with raising children, have discouraged family growth.1
• Aging Population: Improvements in health conditions have led to high life expectancy. This, combined with fewer births, has resulted in a "super-aged society" where a growing proportion of the population is age 65 or older.312

This trend creates significant economic challenges, including labor shortages and increased pressure on pension and health care systems, as a shrinking workforce supports a larger elderly population.123