Japan's 'baby boom' of foreigners

 

As Japan struggles to cope with its long-standing population crisis, a startling piece of news came this week. In 2024, the number of babies born to foreign parents in the country topped 22,000, up nearly 3,000 from the previous year and 50 percent more than a decade ago.

But none of the mothers behind this baby boom are Japanese. The influx of babies from China, Brazil, the Philippines and Vietnam is sending a different message to Japanese maternity wards. The incident highlights how government efforts to boost childbearing among Japanese couples have failed, despite repeated calls from Japan's conservative male politicians!

While record numbers of babies are being born to foreigners, the number of babies born to Japanese parents has dropped alarmingly to just 686,000. That's about 41,000 fewer than in 2023.

Immigration Waves and Economic Reality

Adding to this demographic picture is the growth of the foreign population. Today, about 3.2 percent of Japan’s total population, or about 4 million people, are foreigners. This was almost unthinkable even a decade ago.

This immigration wave is not sudden. Seven years ago, then-Prime Minister Shinzo Abe acknowledged the need to recruit more skilled workers to address the labor crisis. As a result, immigrants are now working as essential workers in convenience stores, restaurants, factories, construction, agriculture and fisheries, from Japan’s cities to its remote rural areas. Japan’s previous reputation as a country of sakoku, or self-imposed isolation, is now obsolete.

Growing political divisions over immigration

The influx of foreigners has reignited the immigration debate in Japanese politics. Recently, the small right-wing party Sanseito has significantly increased its strength in the elections, promoting the slogan “Japanese First.” Although analysts say the surge may be short-lived, the party has set the tone for the immigration debate.

Almost all major parties, including the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, have expressed concern about foreign workers. Even the new LDP leader, Sanae Takaichi, made harsh comments about indecent foreign tourists early in her campaign, even though there was no evidence to support those comments. Other politicians have often tried to sway public opinion by making baseless accusations that foreigners are taking away Japanese jobs or increasing crime.

The debate has sometimes turned to xenophobia. Kurdish residents in Kawaguchi, near Tokyo, have been subjected to hate speech and misinformation. Even local authorities have been forced to cancel friendly exchange programs with several African countries due to rumors and misconceptions.

Will economic necessity trump politics?

Despite the political rhetoric, economic reality suggests otherwise. Business leaders are adamant that without migrant workers, Japan’s supply chain would collapse.

According to analysts, immigration is growing so rapidly that foreigners could make up more than 10 percent of Japan's population within the next 15 years, nearly three decades earlier than previously predicted.

The tough question facing Japanese politicians is whether they will accept economic decline or welcome a more diverse population to sustain the country's economy.