Asia Pacific / Social Issues Sep 1, 2022
China marriages dive to record low as population pressures mount
The drop in marriages — along with a plummeting birth rate — is likely attributable to a decline in the population of young people.
Asia Pacific Aug 31, 2022
South Korea to triple baby payments in bid to tackle fertility crisis
by Sam Kim
A plan to provide a monthly stipend to every family with a newborn is Seoul's latest move to address the world’s lowest fertility rate.
National / Social Issues | Longform Aug 1, 2022
by Alex K.T. Martin
A shrinking community that was fading into obscurity is now considered the nation's happiest town. What’s the secret behind the smiles in Hatoyama, Saitama?
Commentary / Japan Jun 22, 2022
The fertility crisis started in Japan, but it won’t stay here
by Gearoid Reidy
A declining population and plummeting fertility rate isn’t a unique Japanese phenomenon. All rich countries will contend with this crisis.
Commentary / World May 13, 2022
‘Invest in Kishida’? Japan needs to persuade Elon Musk first.
by Gearoid Reidy
How can Japan’s prime minister attract investors to a country that the world’s richest man says will one day ‘cease to exist’?
National May 9, 2022
Elon Musk tweet on Japan doomed by low birthrate provokes anger — but not just at him
by Elaine Lies
The flood of sarcasm and anger on Twitter was also directed at the Japanese government, which many said did little to address the issue.
DEEP DIVE Apr 27, 2022
Japan is losing people, but is it all bad?
by Oscar Boyd and Alex K.T. Martin
Staff writer Alex Martin joins to discuss Japan’s declining population, and why one town in Saitama thinks it’s not all bad news.
National / Social Issues | Longform Mar 28, 2022
For some shrinking towns in Japan, depopulation isn't all bad news
by Alex K.T. Martin
For the first time, more than half of all municipalities in Japan will be designated by the government as wholly or partially underpopulated from April 1.
Commentary / World Mar 23, 2022
Can Japan become a multicultural country?
by Jakob Ranglin Grissler
The demographic evolution of big-scale labor immigration that many Western countries went through after World War II, pivoting to multiculturalism, is now taking place in Japan.
Business Mar 14, 2022
In graying Japan, more companies are making efforts to hire elderly workers
At present, around 675,000 people age 70 or over are working, a figure that has more than doubled over the past four years.
Asia Pacific / Social Issues Mar 7, 2022
Thailand bids to avert 'population crisis' as birthrate crashes
by Chayut Setboonsarng and Panarat Thepgumpanat
While Thailand's demographic path is similar to other Asian economies, as an emerging market relying on cheap labor, the implications are far more profound.
National Feb 25, 2022
Japan logged record low number of newborns in 2021 with 842,897
Meanwhile, the number of deaths was 1,452,289, up 67,745 from the year before and the highest figure since the end of World War II.