Japan's government urges action as country sees lowest number of births since 1899

Associated Press

Published February 27, 2024 1:19pm EST

• The number of babies born in Japan in 2023 fell for an eighth consecutive year to a record low of 758,631, marking a 5.1% decline from 2022.
• This decline is the lowest number of births recorded since Japan began compiling statistics in 1899.
• Marriages also saw a decrease by 5.9% to 489,281 couples, dropping below half a million for the first time in 90 years.

The number of babies born in Japan last year fell for an eighth straight year to a new low, government data showed Tuesday, and a top official said it was critical for the country to reverse the trend in the coming half-dozen years.

The 758,631 babies born in Japan in 2023 were a 5.1% decline from the previous year, according to the Health and Welfare Ministry. It was the lowest number of births since Japan started compiling the statistics in 1899.

The number of marriages fell by 5.9% to 489,281 couples, falling below a half-million for the first time in 90 years — one of the key reasons for the declining births. Out-of-wedlock births are rare in Japan because of family values based on a paternalistic tradition.

Surveys show that many younger Japanese balk at marrying or having families, discouraged by bleak job prospects, the high cost of living that rises at a faster pace than salaries and corporate cultures that are not compatible with having both parents work. Crying babies and children playing outside are increasingly considered a nuisance, and many young parents say they often feel isolated.

The number of babies born in Japan last year fell for an eighth straight year to a new low

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters Tuesday that the ongoing declining birth rate is at "critical state."

"The period over the next six years or so until 2030s, when the younger population will start declining rapidly, will be the last chance we may be able to reverse the trend," he said. "There is no time to waste."

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has called the low births "the biggest crisis Japan faces," and put forward a package of measures that have included more support and subsidies mostly for childbirth, children and their families.

But experts say they doubt whether the government's efforts will be effective because so far they have largely focused on people who already are married or already are planning to have children, while not adequately addressing a growing population of young people who are reluctant to go that far.

The number of births has been falling since 50 years ago, when it peaked at about 2.1 million. The decline to an annual number below 760,000 has happened faster than earlier projections predicting that would happen by 2035.

Japan's population of more than 125 million is projected to fall by about 30% to 87 million by 2070, with four out of every 10 people at age 65 or older. A shrinking and aging population has big implications for the economy and for national security as the country seeks to fortify its military to counter China's increasingly assertive territorial ambitions.

Japan's government urges action as country sees lowest number of births since 1899

日本出生人数创1899年以来最低纪录，日本敦促采取行动

• The number of babies born in Japan in 2023 fell for an eighth consecutive year to a record low of 758,631, marking a 5.1% decline from 2022.
• 2023年，日本出生的婴儿数量连续第八年下降至758631人，创历史新低，比2022年下降5.1%。
• This decline is the lowest number of births recorded since Japan began compiling statistics in 1899.
• 这是自1899年日本开始有统计数据以来的最低出生人数。
• Marriages also saw a decrease by 5.9% to 489,281 couples, dropping below half a million for the first time in 90 years.
• 结婚人数也下降了5.9%，降至489281对，90年来首次降至50万以下。

The number of babies born in Japan last year fell for an eighth straight year to a new low, government data showed Tuesday, and a top official said it was critical for the country to reverse the trend in the coming half-dozen years.

周二公布的数据显示，去年日本出生的婴儿数量连续第八年降至新低，一名高级官员表示，在未来六年内扭转这一趋势至关重要。

The 758,631 babies born in Japan in 2023 were a 5.1% decline from the previous year, according to the Health and Welfare Ministry. It was the lowest number of births since Japan started compiling the statistics in 1899.

根据日本卫生福利部门的数据，2023年日本出生758631名婴儿，上一年减少了5.1%。这是自1899年日本开始有统计数据以来出生人数最低的一次。

The number of marriages fell by 5.9% to 489,281 couples, falling below a half-million for the first time in 90 years — one of the key reasons for the declining births. Out-of-wedlock births are rare in Japan because of family values based on a paternalistic tradition.

结婚人数下降了5.9%，降至489281对，90年来首次降至50万以下，这是出生率下降的重要原因之一。由于基于家长式传统的家庭价值观，未婚生育在日本很少见。

Surveys show that many younger Japanese balk at marrying or having families, discouraged by bleak job prospects, the high cost of living that rises at a faster pace than salaries and corporate cultures that are not compatible with having both parents work. Crying babies and children playing outside are increasingly considered a nuisance, and many young parents say they often feel isolated.

调查显示，许多年轻的日本人不愿结婚或成家，因为他们对黯淡的工作前景、比工资上涨更快的高生活成本以及与父母双方都工作不兼容的企业文化感到沮丧。他们开始觉得孩子的哭闹和在外面玩耍是一种麻烦，许多年轻父母表示，他们经常感到孤立。

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters Tuesday that the ongoing declining birth rate is at "critical state."

内阁秘书长Yoshimasa Hayashi星期二对记者说，持续下降的出生率“很严峻”。

"The period over the next six years or so until 2030s, when the younger population will start declining rapidly, will be the last chance we may be able to reverse the trend," he said. "There is no time to waste."

“未来六年左右，直到2030年代，年轻人口将开始迅速下降，这将是我们扭转这一趋势的最后机会”，他说道，“没有时间可以浪费了”。

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has called the low births "the biggest crisis Japan faces," and put forward a package of measures that have included more support and subsidies mostly for childbirth, children and their families.

岸田文雄称低出生率是“日本面临的最大危机”，并提出了一系列措施，包括更多的支持和补贴，主要用于生小孩、儿童及其家庭。

But experts say they doubt whether the government's efforts will be effective because so far they have largely focused on people who already are married or already are planning to have children, while not adequately addressing a growing population of young people who are reluctant to go that far.

但专家们表示，他们怀疑这些措施是否有效，因为到目前为止，他们主要关注的是已经结婚或已经有生育计划的人，而没有彻底解决越来越多不愿生育的年轻人的问题。

The number of births has been falling since 50 years ago, when it peaked at about 2.1 million. The decline to an annual number below 760,000 has happened faster than earlier projections predicting that would happen by 2035.

自50年前出生人数达到210万人的峰值以来，出生人数一直在下降。下降到每年760000人以下的速度比之前预测的到2035年还要快。