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The number of babies born in Japan increased during the first half of 2026, marking the first rise for that period in 11 years, according to data released Friday.
Births between January and June climbed 0.8% from a year earlier to 342,068, Kyodo News reported, citing the Health Ministry. The increase comes after a prolonged decline in births that began after 2015.
Despite the modest rise, Japan continues to face a severe demographic challenge as deaths outpace births and the population of Japanese nationals shrinks. The country's total population, including foreign residents, stood at 123.7 million, down about 563,000 from a year earlier.
The population of Japanese nationals fell below 120 million for the first time in more than four decades, declining by 917,000 to 119,736,483. The drop was the largest since records began in 1968.
Japan's natural population decline has also widened, with around 1.59 million deaths recorded compared with roughly 670,000 births. Meanwhile, the number of registered foreign residents rose by 354,000 to a record four million, helping ease chronic labor shortages.
The government has expanded child allowances and family support programs in an effort to encourage more births and slow the country's population decline.
The latest figures come after a record-low 671,236 births in 2025, the fewest since records began in 1899. Japan's total fertility rate also fell to a record low of 1.14, according to government data.
While the rise in births during the first half of 2026 offers a rare positive sign, it is too early to determine whether it represents a sustained change in Japan's long-term demographic trend.
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