Japan faces the most severe population crisis in its modern history, with a projected loss of nearly 1 million people this year, according to a warning from Elon Musk.
The data for 2024 is alarming:
• 720,988 births: the lowest in 125 years.
• 1.62 million deaths: a historic record.
• A net deficit of 900,000 people in a single year.
More than 30% of Japanese people are over 65 years old, and the fertility rate has fallen to just 1.15 children per woman, far from the 2.1 needed for generational replacement.
What is driving this crisis?
• High living costs and low economic security.
• Cultural changes that delay or dismiss marriage and motherhood.
• Accelerated aging and limited migration. Despite incentives like free childcare and reduced workweeks, the results are minimal.
Is AI the Solution? Musk's Vision Elon Musk suggests that Artificial Intelligence (AI) could mitigate the impact by:
• Automate elder care.
• Increase productivity with fewer workers.
• Improve efficiency in healthcare services.
However, technology alone cannot reverse decades of demographic decline. Immigration reforms, real family support, and deep cultural changes are needed.
A Global Lesson Japan is a "mirror" for other nations like South Korea and Italy, which also see their birth rates decline.
Will AI be the engine of a historic recovery or are we facing an irreversible countdown?