PM's assistant warns nation "would perish" without more children.

(RT) ⸻ Japan risks ceasing to exist as a country if its extremely low birthrate issue is left unaddressed, according to Masako Mori, an aide to Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. The official made the remarks in an interview shortly after the country's Ministry of Health announced yearly statistics on deaths and birth rates, painting a rather grim picture. Twice as many people died as were born in the country, with 799,728 births registered compared to 1.58 million deaths. The figures continue Japan's decade-long trend of population decline, though the birthrate figure fell below the 800,000 mark for the first time in 2022. Japan's population continued to age as well, with the median age reported at 49 years and the number of people over 65 years of age reaching over 29%. If the negative trend continues, Japan risks a complete breakdown of its society, with the social security system collapsing, industrial and economic strength declining, and there wouldn't be enough recruits for the Self-Defense Forces to protect the country.