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Japan reports record-low birth rate in 2024, ministry reveals

Birth rates in Japan have been shrinking for a ninth consecutive year

TOKYO, June 4. /TASS/. Last year, the total number of births in Japan fell to its lowest level since 1899 when vital statistics were first recorded in the country: in 2024, the Japanese gave birth to 686,061 infants, or 41,000 fewer than in 2023, according to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.

The released statistics cover only Japanese citizens residing in Japan, while a report published in February showed that the number of births in foreign families living in Japan and in Japanese families living abroad surpassed 720,000 in 2024.

Birth rates in Japan have been shrinking for a ninth consecutive year.

The island nation reported record-low birth rates in recent years, accompanied by a rapidly aging population: the share of the working population aged between 15 and 64 currently stands at around 60%.

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