Japan’s precipitous population decline shows no sign of slowing, with the nation shrinking by more than 900,000 people last year – the biggest annual drop on record, according to government data.

Since peaking at 126.6 million in 2009, the population has declined for 16 consecutive years, diminished by various factors like a struggling economy and deep-seated gender norms.

One possible solution, experts have pointed out, would be to plug the gap by welcoming more immigrants – a controversial topic in Japan, a largely conservative country that perceives itself as ethnically homogenous.

Foreign residents and Japanese nationals of mixed ethnicity have long complained of xenophobia, racism and discrimination.

But the government has leaned into this option, launching a new digital nomad visa and crafting a new plan to upskill foreign workers. And there are signs it may be taking effect; the number of foreign residents in Japan increased by more than 10 per cent last year to a record high of 3.6 million people, according to the new data.

According to government models, which were most recently revised in 2023, Japan’s population will fall by 30 per cent by 2070 – but by then, “the pace of population decline is expected to slow down slightly, mainly due to the increase in international migration.”