Countries face growing challenges of shrinking and aging populations

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 by 3 million since 2008, with record low births in 2023. Italy's birth rate has also declined, falling below 400,000 for the first time since the 19th century. The Italian government aims to increase births to 500,000 annually by 2033. South Korea's population saw a slight increase in 2023 due to a rise in foreign residents. Governments are responding with incentives to encourage higher birth rates. In China, the retirement age is being raised, while Japan and Italy are implementing policies to address the challenges of aging populations.