According to a report by Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun on January 1, the trend of declining birth rates in Japan is worsening, and the number of Japanese newborns born domestically in 2024 is likely to fall below 0.7 million. Data from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's population dynamics statistics indicate that the birth population from January to October 2024 is expected to decrease by about 5% year-on-year. Based on estimates, the birth population in 2024 is projected to be 0.68708 million, a decrease of 5.5% compared to 2023. The number of births in 2023 was 0.727288 million, the lowest since the statistics began in 1899. The birth population in 2024 is expected to decline further, continuing a downward trend for nine consecutive years. (Reference News)