Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida says his country is barely able to function as a society because of its declining birth rate.
Japan, which currently has a population of 125 million, is estimated to have fewer than 800,000 births last year. Compared to the 1970s, that figure is over two million.
Quoted from the BBC, the slowing birth rate has occurred in many countries in recent years, including Japan's neighboring countries.
But in Japan, this problem has become especially acute as life expectancy in their country has increased in recent decades. That is, more and more elderly, and fewer workers to support them.
According to World Bank data, Japan currently has the second highest proportion of people aged 65 and over in the world, at around 28%, after the small country of Monaco.
"Japan is on the verge of whether we can continue to function as a society," Kishida told lawmakers.
"Focusing attention on policies regarding children and parenting is an issue that cannot wait and cannot be postponed," he said.
Kishida wants the government to double its spending on child-related programs. He added that a new government body to focus on this issue would be formed in April 2023.
The Japanese government has actually tried to promote a similar strategy before, but without success. By 2020, researchers project Japan's population to fall from a peak of 128 million in 2017 to less than 53 million by the end of the century. According to official data, the population is currently under 125 million.
Japan continues to enforce strict immigration laws despite some relaxations. But some experts are now suggesting the rules should be relaxed further to help tackle Japan's aging society.
The fall in the birth rate has been driven by a variety of factors, including rising costs of living, more women in education and employment, and greater access to contraception, which has led women to choose to have fewer children.
Japan is home to the world's oldest population, after Monaco. By 2050, it is estimated that Japan could lose one-fifth of its current population.