The topic of Japan’s declining birth rate has resurfaced on social media following the country’s record-low number of births in 2023. The data revealed a 5.1% decline in the number of births from the previous year, reaching 758,631. Amidst discussions surrounding Japan’s demographic crisis, Tesla boss Elon Musk’s reaction to the issue has garnered widespread attention online. Elon Musk has been vocal about advocating for increased birthrates and contributing to the growth of Earth’s population. He has reiterated the sentiment that “There are not enough people” on multiple occasions.
Reports state that he had also said, “One of the biggest risks to civilisation” is the population decline. The tech billionaire has now expressed his thoughts on Japan’s record-low birth rate on X (formerly known as Twitter). He responded to an article published on the microblogging platform. Written under the heading, “Japan’s birth rate hits record low: Over two people died for every baby born”, the article goes on to say “For a population of around 125 million, losing close to a million people every year is unsustainable.”
Elon Musk shared the news article on his official X handle and captioned it saying, “Japan will disappear if something doesn’t change”.
Check his post here:
Japan will disappear if something doesn’t change https://t.co/1nmYIkYWD9— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 29, 2024
The post has garnered significant attention, with over 65.3 million views since it was posted on February 29, and the engagement continues to increase. Various reactions have emerged in response to the share, reflecting the diverse perspectives and discussions surrounding Japan’s low birthrate issue.
On X, a user remarked, “South Korea might beat them in the race to oblivion,” prompting a response from the Tesla CEO, who commented, “True.” Another user disagreed, asserting, “No, it won’t.” Additionally, a third user mentioned, “Elon, as far as I know, the birth rate in Europe is lower, and if Europe doesn’t change, it will disappear before Japan,” while another one expressed, “I sincerely hope not.”
In addition to the decline in birthrate, Japan saw a 5.9 per cent decline in marriages, totalling 4,89,281 in 2023. The number of marriages in a year has fallen below 5,000 for the first time in 90 years, according to a report in Reuters.
A Japanese government spokesperson reportedly stated that the administration is prepared to take “unprecedented measures” to address the declining birth rate. These initiatives include expanding childcare services and promoting salary increases for younger employees.
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