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TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Starting April 2026, the Japanese government plans to provide free delivery costs in all hospitals as part of a massive effort to address the declining birth rate crisis. This new policy is expected to help alleviate the burden on young couples and encourage more families to have children.
Currently, the average delivery cost in Japan reaches 518,000 (around Rp 56 million), while the government subsidy is only 500,000. In almost half of the cases between May 2023 and September 2024, this subsidy was not sufficient to cover the entire delivery cost.
According to Independent, this step is taken amid concerns, as 2024 marked the lowest birth rate year in Japan since recording began 125 years ago, with only 720,988 babies born, a 5 percent decrease from the previous year.
With over 30 percent of its population aged over 65, Japan has become an extreme example of a developed country facing a drastic population decline. However, this situation is in stark contrast to many developing countries, especially in Africa, which are facing challenges due to high birth rates.
Countries with the Highest Birth Rates
Based on data from the World Bank, here are the 15 countries with the highest birth rates in the world in 2024, stated in the average number of children per woman.
- Niger – 6.64
- Angola – 5.7
- Democratic Republic of the Congo – 5.49
- Mali – 5.35
- Benin – 5.34
- Chad – 5.24
- Uganda – 5.17
- Somalia – 5.12
- South Sudan – 5.09
- Burundi – 4.9
- Guinea – 4.78
- Mozambique – 4.66
- Guinea-Bissau – 4.62
- Nigeria – 4.52
- Sudan – 4.47
Most of these countries are located in Sub-Saharan Africa, where factors such as low contraceptive use, early marriage, lack of female education, and societal value on having a large number of children still dominate the community’s life.
Impacts of High Birth Rates
High birth rates pose a significant challenge for countries with infrastructure and economies unprepared to cope with rapid population growth. An explosion in the population can worsen poverty, amplify the burden on the education and health systems, and disrupt long-term development.
For example, as reported by World Population Review, Pakistan has a birth rate of 3.4. While not the highest, this figure is high enough to strain limited resources. Schools, health facilities, and other basic services are overwhelmed by the rapid population growth.
On the other hand, countries with minimal birth rates like Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan face equally significant challenges, but in reverse, such as aging populations, labor shortages, and threats to national economic sustainability.
Editor’s Choice: Falling Birth Rates: Countries with Lowest Fertility Rates as Japan Tackles Shrinking Population
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