TOKYO: 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 per cent to 661,577.
According to Kyodo news agency, the preliminary data released by the Ministry of Health, Labour 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.
