Japan’s birth rate is at a record low for the eighth consecutive year

The number of babies born in Japan fell for the eighth consecutive year to a record low, preliminary government data showed on Tuesday, as the country seeks to reduce the population. Underlines the challenging task ahead.

The number of births fell 5.1 per cent to 758,631 from a year earlier, while the number of marriages fell 5.9 per cent to 489,281 – the first time in 90 years the number fell below 500,000 – suggesting further population decline. Birth of a child out of wedlock is rare in Japan.