Births in Japan set to fall under 700,000 for 1st time in 2024

The number of births in Japan in 2024 is set to fall under 700,000 for the first time after government data showed Friday that the figure for the first 11 months of the year dropped 5.1 percent to 661,577, Kyodo reports. 

The preliminary data released by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare for births from January to November includes foreigners. However, the full-year figure is expected to exclude babies born to foreign nationals.

The figure underscores a trend in Japan where more people are choosing not to marry or delaying marriage, partly due to concerns about child-rearing amid rising living costs.

As earlier reported, the number of babies born in South Korea increased by the fastest rate in 14 years in last October as the country is struggling to address the grim demographic changes posed by its ultra-low birth rate and rapid aging.