Japan’s births fall to record low of 350,000 in January-June

The pace of decrease in births for the first half of 2024 accelerated from 3.6 per cent in the same period last year, preliminary data by the ministry of health, labour and welfare showed. The total of 350,000 marked the lowest level for the January-June period since comparable data became available in 1969.

The data include figures for foreigners living in Japan.

If the declining trend continues, the number of births for the full year, excluding foreigners, could fall below 700,000 for the first time.

The number of couples tying the knot in the year through June fell 1.8 per cent from a year earlier to 491,462, despite edging up 0.9 per cent to 248,513 in the first half of 2024 compared with the same period the previous year.

In the six-month period from January, the number of deaths rose 1.8 per cent to 811,819, resulting in a natural population decline of 461,745. In 2023, the number of childbirths in Japan, excluding foreigners, stood at 727,277, the lowest on record.

A declining population could lead to the collapse of businesses and local government services due to a lack of workers and consumers. The trend could also severely impact social security systems, such as healthcare and pensions.

The government, which considers the current period up until the early 2030s the last chance to reverse the country’s declining birth rate, has pledged to implement “unprecedented measures” to address the issue.