Japan’s total number of births from January to June 2026 rose to 342,068, a 0.8% increase from the same period last year and the first rise in 11 years [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]. The increase includes births to foreign nationals living in Japan but excludes births by Japanese living abroad [2, 3, 4, 7].

The rise in births is partly attributed to a second consecutive year of increased marriages starting in 2024 after several years of decline. Marriage registrations reached 489,119 couples in 2025, still well below the pre-pandemic level of nearly 600,000 in 2019 [1, 3, 4, 6, 7].

Japan has faced rapid birth declines since the COVID-19 pandemic, including a nearly 6% drop in 2021 and annual declines of 3-5% in subsequent years through 2025 [6, 7]. In the first half of 2025, births fell 3.1%, resulting in a record low annual total around 671,000 [6].

Despite the recent increase, structural challenges persist. The number of women of childbearing age continues to decline. Many women delay marriage and childbirth, while the proportion of those who do not marry remains high. The fertility rate within marriage dropped from 2.23 in 2002 to 1.9 in 2021, signaling weakening links between marriage and childbearing [6, 7].

Economic pressures weigh heavily on young families. Takumi Fujinami, senior economist at Japan Research Institute, explained that stagnant real wages, high housing costs, and rising social insurance fees have squeezed disposable incomes for those of childbearing age. Though workforce participation by women after first childbirth has increased, many women face job loss or relinquish regular employment in their 30s, leading to income reductions. Fujinami noted, "Many women, even if married early, choose to delay childbirth due to these factors" [7].

Japan’s overall population continues to shrink. The total population fell by about 563,000 to 123.7 million in 2026, with Japanese nationals dropping below 120 million for the first time in over four decades [5]. Deaths outnumber births by a large margin, with around 1.59 million deaths compared to roughly 670,000 births annually [5].

Japan’s next official population and vital statistics release will provide updates for the remainder of 2026 and guide policy decisions on demographic challenges [1, 5].