Japan Births Edge Up in First Half of 2026 After a Decade of Decline
Births in Japan rose in the first half of 2026 for the first time in 11 years, possibly boosted by a postpandemic uptick in marriages. However, the overall trend remains toward population decline.
Japan's birth rate showed a slight increase in the first half of 2026, marking the end of a decade-long decline, according to preliminary data released by the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare. From January to June 2026, the country recorded 342,068 births, a 0.8% increase (2,788 births) compared to the same period in 2025.
This marks the first rise in the total births for this 11-year span, though it remains the fifth consecutive year that the total fell below 400,000. Deaths, however, decreased by 6.9% to 778,982, resulting in a natural decrease in population of 436,914. Marriages, which provide a hint at future birth trends, increased by 0.2% to 238,979.
The preliminary figure was based on foreign nationals born in Japan and Japanese nationals born overseas, and the official figure, expected to be released later, will only include Japanese people residing in Japan, which is expected to be lower. This trend is significant as the number of annual births fell below 800,000 for the first time in 2022, and further dropped under 700,000 in 2024.
Written by urgent.news from Nippon.com's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
