Japan’s H1 births hit record low in more than 20 years
The number of newborns in Japan in the first half of this year fell to 371,052 – the lowest since 2000 – according to the data of the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, TASS reports
According to the JIJI agency, compared with the corresponding period last year, the number of newborns dropped by 3.6 percent (13,890 people), again falling below the mark of 400,000. The death rate increased by 2.6 percent (797,716 died in the country in H1 2023), leading to a population decline of 426,66. Moreover, the number of marriages also decreased by 7.3 percent to 246,332. “Against the background of these data, a further decline in the birth rate is especially striking, caused by the growing trend of people marrying later in life or not marrying at all,” the news agency notes.
The JIJI previously reported that 777,000 children were born in the country in 2022 (the figure dropped below 800,000 for the first time) – the lowest level since 1899. Last year, Japan recorded a record high death rate (approximately 1.56 million). The record low (1.26) in 2022 was also the total fertility rate, which reflects the number of children that a woman, on average, produces in her lifetime. The peak value of this parameter (4.54) was reached in 1947.
The population of Japan, according to experts, by 2053 will be reduced to 100 million people, and by 2065 – to 88 million, while 38 percent of them will be people over 60 years old.
