In the first half of the year, the number of newborn babies in Japan hit a record low.

According to the population statistics released by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare on the 29th, the number of newborns in Japan in the first half of 2025 was 339,280, a decrease of 3.1% compared to the previous year, hitting a new low since comparable data has been available since 1969. The data shows that the number of newborns in the first half of 2025 has been below 400,000 for the fourth consecutive year. In addition, the number of deaths in the first half of 2025 was 836,818, resulting in a "natural decrease in population" of 497,538, reaching a historical high. During the same period, the number of marriages registered was 238,561, a decrease of 4% compared to the previous year.