Fewer Japanese babies this year

The number of babies born in Japan fell an estimated 5.9 per cent this year to fewer than 900,000 for the first time since the government started compiling data in 1899, the welfare ministry says.

The dwindling number of births will put more strain on welfare finances to support snowballing costs of supporting an ageing population, which would undermine economic growth, analysts say.

There were 512,000 more deaths than births this year, the first time the figure has surpassed 500,000, with 864,000 babies born. Last year, 918,400 babies were born.

This was the biggest decline in births since 1975, driven by fewer women aged 25 to 39, said a ministry official in charge of compiling the data.

The government is hoping for a birth rate of 1.8 per cent - which would appear a tall order given rate was 1.42 per cent in 2018.