Newborns in Japan are at a new low, while fewer couples marry

The government in Japan says that the number of babies born in the country last year fell for an eighth straight year to a new low. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi says it is critical for the country to reverse the trend in the coming half-dozen years. The 631,758 babies born in Japan in 2023 were a 5.1% decline from the previous year. It was the lowest number of births since Japan started compiling the statistics in 1899. The government has put forward a package of steps that include more support and subsidies for families with children, but experts say measures should address young people's concerns about bleak job prospects and other future uncertainty.