In 2024, the number of newborns in Japan and the total fertility rate both hit a new record low.

Population dynamics statistics released by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare on June 4th show that the number of newborns in Japan in 2024 was 686,061, with a total fertility rate of 1.15. Both of these numbers are the lowest on record. The data shows that the number of newborns in Japan has been declining for 9 consecutive years, with a decrease of 41,227 from the previous year in 2024, dropping below 700,000 for the first time and reaching a new low since comparable data has been available since 1899.