人口16连降，日本绷不住了

Core Viewpoint - Japan is experiencing a continuous population decline for 16 years, with the latest statistics showing a decrease of 908,000 people, marking the largest drop since records began. The total population is now 120.65 million [4][6]. Group 1: Population Decline - Japan's population has decreased by nearly 7 million since 2008, equivalent to the disappearance of two Osaka cities [6]. - The birth rate in Japan reached a historic low of 686,000 in 2024, while the death toll rose to nearly 1.6 million, indicating a significant demographic crisis [8][10]. - The median age in Japan is 49.4 years, with approximately 29.6% of the population aged 65 and older, highlighting the severe aging issue [12][14]. Group 2: Government Response - Japan has invested approximately 66 trillion yen (around 3.2 trillion yuan) over the past 20 years to combat the declining birth rate, but the effectiveness of these measures is questioned [6][20]. - The total fertility rate in Japan is now at 1.15, significantly below the replacement level of 2.1, although it is not the lowest in East Asia [20][22]. - The government has implemented extensive financial support for families, including a total average subsidy of 3.52 million yen (about 164,000 yuan) for children aged 0-18 [26][29]. Group 3: Comparison with Other Regions - The European Union's population reached 450.4 million in 2024, marking a continuous increase, with 19 out of 27 member states experiencing population growth [33][34]. - The EU's natural population decline is offset by immigration, with over 2.3 million net immigrants in 2024, contrasting with Japan's reluctance to accept immigrants [38][40]. - Japan's immigration policy may need to shift in response to its declining population, as the number of foreign residents has increased by 350,000 in the past year, reaching a total of 3.77 million [44][45].