Japan’s Births Drop Below 700,000—15 Years Earlier Than Expected | WPN World People News

Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has released the latest data showing that the number of newborns in the country in 2024 was only 686,061—a sharp decrease of 41,227 compared to 2023. This is the first time the number has fallen below 700,000 since records began in 1899, marking the lowest figure ever recorded. The decline in births was observed across all prefectures in Japan.

As for the total fertility rate, it stood at 1.15 in 2024, down by 0.05 points from 2023, also setting a new record low since statistics began in 1947. Tokyo recorded the lowest fertility rate at 0.96, remaining below 1 for the second consecutive year, followed by Miyagi Prefecture (1.00) and Hokkaido (1.01). Okinawa had the highest fertility rate at 1.54, followed by Fukui (1.46), and Tottori, Shimane, and Miyazaki Prefectures, all at 1.43.

The National Institute of Population and Social Security Research had projected in 2022 that Japan’s annual births would not fall to the 680,000 range until 2039. The reality has arrived approximately 15 years ahead of that forecast. The continued decline in the birth rate has once again raised serious concerns about the future of Japan’s social security system. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare attributes the drop in newborns primarily to the decreasing young population, as well as trends of later marriage and childbirth.