Japan births at new low as population shrinks and ages

By MARI YAMAGUCHI
Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s top government spokesperson said Monday that the number of babies born this year is below last year’s record low. Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said the low birthrate is a “critical situation.” He pledged comprehensive measures to encourage more marriages and births. The total of 599,636 Japanese born in January-September was nearly 5% below last year’s figure. In all of 2021, 811,000 babies were born the lowest since the population size peaked in the 1990s.  Japan is the world’s third biggest economy but living costs are high and wage increases have been slow. The conservative government has lagged on making society and workplaces more inclusive for children, women and minorities.