Ever-rising costs of raising children drive Japan's birth rate to its lowest since 1899 (opens original article in a new tab)

Japan's birth rate hit a historic low in 2025 due to high living costs, with the fertility rate at 1.14 and the fewest births recorded.

• Japan's fertility rate fell to 1.14 in 2025, the lowest since 1899.
• The number of births dropped to 671,236, the fewest since record-keeping began.
• Rising costs of living, including housing and education, are cited as primary reasons for the decline.