For the first time in eleven years, the number of children born in Japan grew at last with a 0.8 rise covering the first half of 2026, according to a news article by Kyodo News. 342,068 children were born in the January-June 2026 period and the figure includes births to foreign nationals.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news article of Kyodo News. Some parts in boldface…
The number of children born in Japan in the first six months of 2026 rose 0.8 percent from a year earlier to 342,068, marking the first increase for the January-June period in 11 years, health ministry data showed Friday.
The figure, which includes births to foreign nationals, marks an increase of 2,788 from the same period in 2025, according to data released by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.
Japan has seen births declining since 1973, when 2.09 million babies were born in the middle of the country’s second baby boom.
The recent rise in births comes as the number of marriages recovered in 2024 and 2025, a key factor influencing births.
The number of marriages in 2025, including those involving foreign nationals, rose 1.1 percent from the previous year to about 505,000, marking the second straight annual increase. In the first half of 2026, the number of couples tying the knot rose 0.2 percent from a year earlier to 238,979.
Still, some projections suggest births will remain on a long-term downward trend due to Japan’s shrinking population of people of childbearing age and an increase in those delaying or choosing not to marry.
Births increased in 26 prefectures, with Tokyo posting the largest increase of 2,278, followed by Aichi at 517 and Fukuoka at 438. Among the remaining 21 prefectures that saw declines, Ishikawa Prefecture recorded the largest decrease, at 360.
In the six-month period from January, the number of deaths fell 6.9 percent to 778,982, resulting in a natural population decline of 436,914.
The number of births in 2025 fell to 705,000, marking a record low for the 10th consecutive year, prompting calls to expand support for those who wish to marry and have children.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think there is still hope for another increase in the number of children born in Japan in the near future? Do you think the government and the private sector can work together on solving the population decline of Japan without depending on immigrants?
You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.
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