Countries face challenges of shrinking and aging populations including China and Japan

Countries like China, Japan, and Italy are facing declining and aging populations. China's population fell for the third consecutive year in 2024, dropping to 1.408 billion. Japan's population has decreased since 2008, with record low births in 2023. Italy's births fell below 400,000 for the first time since the 19th century. The government aims to encourage more births to support the economy. South Korea's population slightly increased in 2023 due to foreign residents, but its birthrate continues to decline. Governments are responding with incentives to boost birth rates and address labor shortages. China is raising the retirement age, while Japan and Italy are implementing policies to encourage families to have more children.