The number of newborn babies in Japan is falling faster than expected, with new government data showing the figure last year fell below 700,000 for the first time.
The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare says 686,061 babies were born in Japan in 2024 – about a quarter of the postwar peak of 2.7 million births registered in 1949.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba calls the situation a “silent emergency” and has pledged to promote more flexible working arrangements to help married couples balance work and family.
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