Japan Births Edge Up in First Half of 2026 After a Decade of Decline

Fifth Straight Year Under 400,000

Preliminary demographic statistics released by the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare show that Japan recorded 342,068 births from January to June 2026. This figure was 0.8% (2,788 births) higher than the same half-year period in 2025. While this was the first increase for the January–June total in 11 years, it remains the fifth consecutive year that it fell below 400,000.

Meanwhile, the number of deaths fell by 6.9% to 778,982, resulting in a natural decrease in population (the difference between the number of births and deaths) of 436,914. Marriages, which hint at future birth trends, saw a slight rise of 0.2% to 238,979.

The number of annual births dropped below 800,000 for the first time in 2022, and in 2024, fell further to under 700,000. The preliminary figure for January to June includes foreign nationals born in Japan and Japanese nationals born overseas. The official figure, to be released later, will only account for Japanese people living in Japan, and so is expected to be lower.

Japan’s Demographics (January to June)

Created by Nippon.com based on demographic statistics from the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare.

Data Sources

• Preliminary demographic statistics (June 2026) (Japanese) from the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare

(Translated from Japanese. Banner photo © Photo AC.)