Japan's government urges action as country sees lowest number of births since 1899

Japan's birth rate has dropped for an eighth consecutive year, reaching a historic low in 2023 with 758,631 births, a 5.1% decline from the previous year.

The number of marriages fell by 5.9% to 489,281 couples, falling below a half-million for the first time in 90 years — one of the key reasons for the declining births. Out-of-wedlock births are rare in Japan because of family values based on a paternalistic tradition.