00:00Japan's population has fallen by a record 2.5% over the past five years,
00:06according to preliminary census data released on Friday.
00:10The survey, conducted every five years, shows the population has now declined to about 123 million in 2025.
00:19The drop marks the steepest decline since Japan began its national census in 1920.
00:25The country continues to face one of the world's lowest birth rates,
00:29alongside a rapidly ageing population.
00:32Although immigration is often proposed as a solution to the shrinking population,
00:37Prime Minister Sanai Takaichi has supported stricter measures to limit the inflow of foreign nationals.
00:43In response, authorities have introduced a range of measures aimed at encouraging marriage and higher birth rates.
00:49Those efforts include dating application, increased childcare support and subsidised parental leave programmes.
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