CNN
 — 

Japan’s estimated child population has shrunk for the 44th straight year to a record low, government data showed Sunday, as the country grapples with a demographic crisis underscored by falling birth rates and a rapidly aging population.

The number of children aged 14 and under, was 13.66 million as of April 1, down 350,000 from a year ago, according to data released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications ahead of the country’s Children’s Day public holiday.

Children make up just 11.1% of Japan’s total population, which stood at 123.4 million last year, marking a marginal decline from the year prior.

By comparison, the proportion of children to the population was roughly 21.7% for the US in 2023 and 17.1% for China in 2024, according to respective government figures.

The demographic crisis has become one of Japan’s most pressing issues, with its birth rate continually declining despite government efforts to encourage young people to get married and start families.

Japan’s fertility rate – the average number of children born to women in their lifetime has stayed relatively flat at 1.3 in recent years – far below the 2.1 required to maintain a stable population.

For decades, it has been on a downward trend that has also seen the number of deaths overtaking births each year, causing the total population to shrink – with far-reaching consequences for Japan’s workforce, economy, welfare systems and social fabric.

In 2024, the country recorded 1.62 million deaths, according to the Health Ministry – more than double the number of births. The number of marriages rose only slightly, up around 10,000 from the year prior, but remained low, figures showed, while the number of divorces also rose.

Experts say the decline is expected to continue for at least several decades and is to some extent irreversible due to the country’s population structure. Japan is a “super-aged” nation, meaning more than 20% of its population is older than 65. The country’s total population stood at 123.4 million in 2024 – but by 2065 it is expected to have dropped to about 88 million.

There are several factors to explain why fewer people are opting to marry and have children, experts say, including Japan’s high cost of living, stagnant economy and wages, limited space, and the country’s demanding work culture.

Japan has a deeply-ingrained overwork culture. Employees across various sectors report punishing hours and high pressure from supervisors, leaving many young people of childbearing age to focus on their careers rather than starting a family.

Increasing living costs, which have been worsened by the weak yen, a sluggish economy and high inflation have contributed to public discontent, experts say.

The government, however, has sought to soften the impacts of its changing demographics, launching new government agencies to focus specifically on boosting fertility rates and incentivizing marriage. It has launched initiatives such as expanding child care facilities, offering housing subsidies to parents, and in some towns, even paying couples to have children.

Several of Japan’s neighbors, including China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and South Korea have also struggled with population decline, as do several European nations such as Spain and Italy. However, unlike many of their East Asian counterparts, European nations have been far more open to immigration to soften the aging of their societies.

China, until recently the world’s most populous country, saw its population fall for a third consecutive year in 2024 with the number of deaths outpacing new births. India has now overtaken China on population size.

Correction: This article’s headline has been corrected to 14 years-old and under.

CNN
 — 

A four-year-old girl and a man have been killed after a driver crashed an SUV into the entrance of Manila International Airport on Sunday, the Philippine Red Cross said.

The driver crashed the car through the outer railing and onto a walkway where people were standing outside the departure area at Ninoy Aquino International Airport’s Terminal 1 just before 9 a.m., the Philippine Red Cross said in a statement.

“The incident tragically resulted in the casualties of two individuals – a male adult and a 4-year-old girl,” it said.

The driver is in police custody and individuals are being treated for injuries, the airport’s operator said in a statement, though it did not specify how many people were hurt.

There is currently no indication from police that the crash was deliberate.

CNN has reached out to police in Pasay City, the area of the Philippine capital where the airport is located, for comment.

The Philippine Red Cross said it deployed 18 volunteers and five ambulances to respond to the crash, including a rescue vehicle for “potential extrication operations,” according to the statement.

Videos shared on social media by the news agency of the Philippine government showed chaos at the airport, and a black SUV crashed into the entryway of the terminal. People could be heard screaming and crying in the video, which appeared to show several people injured on the ground and baggage strewn about, as first responders attended to the scene.

“At this time, we are awaiting official confirmation on the cause of the incident and reports of injuries,” the statement from the airport’s operator said.

“We understand the concern this incident has caused, especially as images have circulated on social media,” said the statement.

“We urge the public not to speculate and to wait for verified updates, which will be issued as soon as they become available.”

Singapore
Reuters
 — 

Singapore’s People’s Action Party won its 14th successive election on Saturday to extend its unbroken six-decade rule, delivering a strong mandate to its new premier as the city-state braces for economic turbulence from a global trade war.

The PAP, which has ruled since before Singapore’s 1965 independence, won 87 of the 97 parliamentary seats up for grabs, with victories by huge margins in many of the 33 constituencies as the opposition failed to extend gains in previous contests.

The election was a bellwether of the popularity of the PAP amid some signs of disenchantment with its tight grip on power in the Asian financial hub, whose six million people have known no other kind of government.

Though the PAP has consistently won about 90% of seats, its share of the popular vote is closely watched as a measure of the strength of its mandate, with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong eager to leave a mark on his first election in charge after one of the PAP’s worst performances on record last time.

The PAP had yet to be formally declared winner but took 65.57% of the vote, according to local media, surpassing the 61.2% achieved in the 2020 contest.

The outcome will be seen as a ringing public endorsement of US-educated Wong, 52, who became Singapore’s fourth prime minister last year, promising continuity as well as new blood and a new style of leadership.

He took over at the end of the two-decade premiership of Lee Hsien Loong, the son of former leader Lee Kuan Yew, founder of modern Singapore.

Wong must address high living costs and a shortage of housing: persistent problems in one of the world’s most expensive cities, which faces a risk of recession and job losses if its trade-dependent economy takes a hit from the trade war triggered by steep US tariffs.

Wong thanked his constituents, saying: “We are grateful once again for your strong mandate, and we will honor it.”

Though the PAP win maintains the status quo, the margin of victory in most races was significant, with the opposition decimated and PAP candidates winning more than two-thirds of the vote in 18 of 33 constituencies.

“The voters have spoken and they have voted for stability, for continuity, for certainty – and they voted to give Prime Minister Lawrence Wong a strong mandate,” said Mustafa Izzuddin, adjunct senior lecturer at the National University of Singapore.

Although a PAP defeat was always extremely unlikely, some analysts had said the election could have altered the future political dynamic if the opposition had made more gains, with some younger voters keen for fresh voices, greater scrutiny and more robust debate.

But that could take time. Like previous elections, Saturday’s was a lopsided affair, with 46% of all candidates representing the PAP.

The ruling party ran in all seats, compared to just 26 for the Workers’ Party, which won the 10 seats PAP did not win.

The PAP has a big membership to draw from, influence in state institutions and far greater resources than its untested opponents.

Joshua Kurlantzick, senior fellow for Southeast Asia and South Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations, said the PAP’s decisive win came down to Singaporeans backing a known quantity at a time of uncertainty.

“It’s a flight to safety – not wanting to change to a new party amidst the greatest global trade tensions in decades,” he said.

“Just because they are a rock in times of trouble – the same issues are there (that) they need to address.”