Specifically, the number of births fell 5.1% from a year earlier to 758,631, while the number of marriages fell 5.9% to 489,281. This is the first time in 90 years that the number of marriages has fallen below 500,000, signaling a further decline in the population as births out of wedlock are rare in Japan, according to Reuters.
Japan's population is likely to decline by about 30% to 87 million by 2070, according to estimates by the National Institute of Population and Social Security Research.
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Asked about the latest data, Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Hayashi Yoshimasa said the government would take "unprecedented steps" to deal with the falling birthrate, such as expanding child care services and pushing for higher wages for young workers.
"The declining birth rate is in a serious state. The next six years or so until 2030, when the number of young people is falling rapidly, will be the last chance to reverse this trend," Mr. Hayashi stressed.
Noting the potential economic and social impact and strain on public finances, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has called the declining birthrate trend a “grave crisis facing our country” and late last year announced a series of steps to support families having children.
Last two students graduate, 76-year-old Japanese school closes
Japan's population is expected to decline by about 30 percent to 87 million by 2070, with four in 10 people aged 65 or older, according to estimates by the National Institute of Population and Social Security Research, according to Reuters.
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