More than 20,000 children were born to non-Japanese couples in Japan in 2024, a record high that underscores rapid demographic changes and has pushed migration to the centre of political debate. The figure accounts for over 3% of all newborns, according to the health ministry, contrasting sharply with a further decline in births to Japanese parents.
The number and proportion of foreign newborns were both record highs, with the Nikkei business newspaper reporting that these children are “starting to help dent the decline in births among Japanese people”. Japan, one of the world’s fastest-ageing countries, has struggled to raise its birthrate to sustain its population of about 125 million.
The ministry’s data showed 22,878 foreign children—defined as offspring of non-Japanese parents or an unmarried foreign mother—were born last year, an increase of more than 3,000 from a year earlier and a 50% rise from a decade ago. In contrast, births to Japanese couples fell to 686,173, a reduction of 41,115. Non-Japanese newborns offset the decline in Japanese births by more than half, accounting for 3.2% of all births.
By nationality, Chinese women comprised the largest group of foreign mothers, followed by women from the Philippines and Brazil. The increase reflects a sharp rise in foreign residents, which has reached 3.95 million, according to the immigration services agency. Many are in their 20s and 30s and are more likely to stay longer and have children.
The growing diversity in towns like Ōizumi has prompted right-wing politicians to call for stricter immigration rules. In July’s upper house elections, the populist party Sanseito performed strongly after campaigning against foreign workers. Sanae Takaichi, new leader of the governing Liberal Democratic party, made immigration and “badly behaved” foreign tourists key issues in her election bid.
However, labour shortages and an ageing population are expected to fuel further migration. The justice minister, Keisuke Suzuki, recently said the proportion of foreign residents could surpass 10% of the population by 2040. Experts have called for more support for foreign families, with Toshihiro Menju, a visiting professor at Kansai University of International Studies, warning that without policies to integrate foreign children, Japan risks a divided society.
