"Japan's Record Low Birth Rate Deepens Demographic Crisis: AI Solutions Urged"

Japan's birth rate has hit a record low, with the number of babies born falling for an eighth straight year to 758,631, and the number of marriages dropping below 500,000 for the first time in 90 years. The government plans to take unprecedented steps to cope with the declining birth rate, including expanding childcare and promoting wage hikes for younger workers. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has called the trend the "gravest crisis our country faces" and unveiled a range of steps to support child-bearing households. Japan's population is projected to decline by about 30% to 87 million by 2070, with four out of every 10 people aged 65 or older.