The Number of Newborns Falls Below 800,000 for the First Time... "Down by 100,000 in 3 Years"

The number of births in Japan last year fell below 800,000 for the first time since records began.

According to the preliminary population dynamics statistics released on the 28th by Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the number of births last year decreased by 5.1% compared to the previous year, totaling 799,728. Since the related statistics began in 1899, this is the first time the annual number of births has failed to reach 800,000.

Prime Minister Kishida said on the day, "It is important to concretize and promote childcare policies to reverse the declining birthrate trend."

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Until now, the Japanese government had estimated in a 2017 forecast that the number of births would fall below 800,000 by 2033, but the 800,000 mark was breached 11 years earlier than expected. Excluding foreigners, the number of Japanese births is estimated to be around 770,000.

The Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported, "The number of births has decreased for seven consecutive years. From 899,000 in 2019, it dropped by 100,000 in three years," and cited the decline in marriages due to the impact of COVID-19 and the growing tendency to postpone pregnancy and childbirth as major causes.

The number of marriages in Japan exceeded 600,000 in 2019 but remained around 510,000 in 2021 and last year. The number of births in Japan was highest in 1949 at 2,696,000 and has generally been declining since the mid-1970s.

Meanwhile, the number of deaths last year increased by 8.9% compared to the previous year, reaching 1,582,033. This was the highest annual death toll since the related statistics began.