Japan's population has dropped for a third year running as birth rates plummeted to 1,001,000 million in 2014, 9,000 lower than the previous year.
Official data presented by the health, labour and welfare ministry on Thursday revealed that the figure was a four year low for the country. If this continues, the country's population is estimated to decrease by 30 million by 2050.
Local news outlet Kyodo News reported that the ministry states the inevitable drop is due to "the number of reproductive-age women is on the decline."
Japan's continuous rise in child-bearing and child raising cost, the number of women working, the decision of marrying in a later age, the number of people unmarried and the change in customary household and social practice are other factors resulting in the drop.
Another contributor to Japan's shrinking population is the estimated number of deaths in 2014 totalled to 1,269,000, higher than the birth rate population, making it their fifth straight year.
In April, Japan's government showed data that their population fell for their third consecutive year, while the elderly rose up to 25% of the total of population.
Forecasts state that the population above 65 years of age may reach to 40% by the year 2060.