New census data over the past week showed Japan’s population shrank more quickly than in the prior tally. Also last week, the government rolled out tougher rules for foreign nationals who want to live in Japan.
While foreigners make up just 3.4% of Japan’s population, the share has increased to a record high, and a political backlash has been building—even as the country also grapples with rapidly aging demographics and the need to find new workers to sustain economic growth.
