Japan pledges $25 billion to boost birth rate amid population crisis

Japan's prime minister announced a new plan to increase financial support for families and expand child care to help raise the country's declining birth rate.
The plan will provide larger subsidies for households with children, help pay for fertility treatments and education, promote flexible work schedules, and increase paternity leave.
Japan has the world's oldest population after Monaco, and it faces growing labor shortages due to strict immigration laws.
Japan's population has declined for 16 years and is projected to fall to 87 million by 2070.
The government will spend $25 billion annually over the next three years on the new plan to encourage younger generations to have more children.