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  "path": "/news/1975888/japan-births-fall-for-10th-straight-year",
  "publishedAt": "2026-02-26T08:40:05.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.dawn.com",
  "tags": [
    "World",
    "first",
    "snap elections"
  ],
  "textContent": "The number of births in Japan fell for the 10th straight year in 2025, official data showed on Thursday, highlighting the challenges for Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.\n\nA total of 705,809 babies were born in Japan, the preliminary health ministry data showed, down 2.1 per cent from 2024.\n\nThe data includes births to Japanese nationals in Japan, foreign births in Japan and babies born to Japanese nationals overseas.\n\nMeanwhile, 505,656 couples got married in 2025, up 1.1pc, while the number of divorces fell 3.7pc to 182,969 cases.\n\nThere were 1,605,654 deaths, down 13,030 or 0.8pc from 2024.\n\nThe internal affairs ministry estimated Japan’s overall population as of February at 122.86 million people, down 0.47pc, or 580,000, from a year ago.\n\nThe world’s fourth-biggest economy has one of the world’s lowest birth rates and a falling and ageing population.\n\nThis is leading to a host of problems, including labour shortages, a ballooning social security bill and fewer working people paying tax.\n\nThat in turn is adding to Japan’s huge debts. It already has the highest debt ratio among major economies.\n\nFigures last year showed that the number of people aged 100 or older was almost 100,000, with close to 90pc of them women.\n\nThe shrinking population is also gutting rural communities. The number of abandoned homes in Japan is now around four million.\n\nOver 40pc of municipalities risk extinction, according to a recent study.\n\nSuccessive Japanese leaders — including Takaichi, the country’s first woman premier — have promised to increase births but with limited success.\n\nTokyo’s city government developed its own dating app which requires users to submit documentation proving they are single and to sign a letter stating they are willing to get married.\n\n“The declining birth rate and shrinking population are a quiet state of emergency that will gradually erode our country’s vitality,” Takaichi said in parliament last week.\n\nTakaichi’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) won a two-thirds majority in February 8 snap elections.\n\nIncreasing immigration would help reverse Japan’s falling population and the associated problems in the labour market.\n\nBut under pressure from the “Japanese first” Sanseito party, the right-wing Takaichi has vowed tougher measures on immigration.\n\nThe government said on Thursday it is striving to build a stronger economy to reduce the economic burden of childcare for working families.\n\n“I believe there were some successes. Unfortunately, however, we have not managed to reverse this trend (of falling births),” Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Masanao Ozaki told reporters.\n\n“I believe (an important factor) is to achieve a strong economy,” Ozaki said.",
  "title": "Japan births fall for 10th straight year"
}