The number of birth is the lowest so far while fatality is at the highest since post-war - population decrease accelerates

Recently the NHK News On-line reported the following:

出生数が過去最少 死亡者は戦後最多 人口減が加速

12月22日 15時38分

１年間に生まれた子どもの数の「出生数」は、ことし全国で９４万人余りと、これまでで最も少なくなる見通しとなったことが厚生労働省の調査でわかりました。一方、死亡した人は戦後最多の１３４万人余りとなる見通しで、人口の減少がさらに加速していることが浮き彫りになりました。

厚生労働省は毎年１月から１０月までの数値を基に、その年に生まれる子どもの数、いわゆる出生数を推計しています。

それによりますと、ことしの出生数は９４万１０００人と、初めて１００万人を下回った去年よりさらに３万６０００人少なくなり、明治３２年に統計を取り始めて以降、最も少なくなる見通しです。

一方、国内の死亡者数は１３４万４０００人と去年より３万６０００人多くなり、戦後では最多となる見通しです。出生数から死亡者数を差し引いた人口の減少数は４０万３０００人と、戦後初めて４０万人を超える見通しです。

日本の人口が減少するのは１１年連続で、そのペースがさらに加速していることが浮き彫りになりました。

厚生労働省は「保育所の整備など現在の子育て世帯への支援を強化するとともに、若者世代が将来安心して子どもを産めるよう就労支援などにも取り組み、少子化に歯止めをかけていきたい」としています。

My translation

An investigation of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare showed that the "birth rate” this year nationwide was slightly over 940,000 people, showing the perspective of being the lowest so far. On the other hand, about 1,340,000 people had died and became the highest in the post- war, clearly showed a perspective that the decrease in population was accelerating.

The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare was estimating the number of children born this year, the so called birth rate, based on the numerical value from January to October every year.

Base on this, the birth rate of 941,000 people this year when compared with last year was for the first time lower than 1,000,000 people, it was a decrease of 36,000 people; there was a perspective that it became the lowest since the beginning of keeping statistics since 1899.

On the other hand, domestic death toll was 1,344,000 people and was 36,000 people higher than that of last year, and the perspective was that it would become the highest in the postwar. When the number of population decrease due to death was deducted from the number of birth, it would be 403,000 people; there was a perspective that for the first time in post-war it was over 400,000 people.

The population of Japan had been decreasing for 11 years continuously, the accelerating decreasing pace clearly stood out.

The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare supposed that it would “together with the strengthening of the present maintenance in a day care centers etc. in giving support to child rearing household, will make an effort on working support so that the younger generation can bear children with confidence in the future, and would like to put a brake on the low birthrate."

   It seems that the Japanese government is working hard to put a brake on the low birthrate.