In 2024, Japan recorded an unprecedented increase in births within a specific segment of the population: over 22,000, 3,000 more than the previous year and 50% more than a decade ago. All the babies, however, were born to foreign women from countries including China, Brazil, the Philippines, and Vietnam. Births among native Japanese remain low, with political efforts so far unable to reverse this trend.
The proportion of foreigners in Japan has reached around 3.2% of the population (over one million people) out of a total of 124 million. Foreign workers are commonly employed in sectors such as retail, cafes, factories and agriculture—jobs increasingly avoided by Japanese workers. Their economic role has become significant, prompting changes in society and public debate.
The Sanseito party, critical of rising foreign populations, recently won 15 seats in the upper house of parliament, though its political influence remains limited. Still, migration has become one of Japan’s central political issues—with even center-left parties expressing concerns about the growth in foreign labor. The ruling party promises stricter migration control, full adaptation of migrants, and a crackdown on illegal immigration.
At times, debate on migration crosses into open xenophobia. Kurdish families in Kawaguchi, for example, have reported discrimination and violence. Meanwhile, business leaders overwhelmingly support labor migration, saying the economy would not function properly without it. While automation is seen as an alternative, it has its limits.
The Japanese government is trying to encourage higher birthrates among citizens through new family and children’s agencies, but young people cite financial uncertainty and work-life balance as major obstacles to family formation. As native birthrates fall and those among foreigners rise, the issue remains a political and societal challenge.
