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Tokyo Weekender
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Tokyo Weekender
Japanese Births Fall Below 700,000 for the First Time
This week's news roundup is dominated by baby-related stories. We report on the latest figures concerning Japanese births as they continue to decline at an alarming rate. Mako Komuro , the eldest daughter of Crown Prince Fumihito and Crown Princess Akiko, welcomes her first child. And Ayumi Hamasaki denies rumors that Elon Musk fathered her children. Also this week, two Japanese men are killed in China over a business dispute . A Japanese Kick streamer is arrested for wearing women's underwear on his head. And we pay our respects to the former Yomiuri Giants legend Shigeo Nagashima , who passed away on Tuesday. List of Contents: Japanese Births Fall for the Ninth Consecutive Year Two Japanese Men Killed in China Over Business Dispute Former Japanese Princess Mako Welcomes First Child Elon Musk Reportedly Fathered Child With Japanese Pop Star, Ayumi Hamasaki Says It's Not Her Japanese Streamer Arrested for Wearing Women's Underwear on His Head Japan's 'Mr. Professional Baseball' Shigeo Nagashima Dies at 89 Related Posts Japanese Births Fall for the Ninth Consecutive Year For the first time in recorded history, the number of Japanese births fell below 700,000 in 2024. According to the health ministry's data, released on Wednesday, just 686,061 Japanese babies were born here last year. That's 44,227 fewer than in 2023, marking the ninth consecutive year of decline. The figures exclude foreign nationals born in Japan and Japanese nationals born overseas. The National Institute of Population and Social Security Research predicted that births wouldn't dip below 690,000 until 2039. Its forecast for 2024 was 755,000. There was also a drop in the total fertility rate — the average number of children a woman is expected to have in her lifetime based on current birth rates — which fell to a record low of 1.15, down by 0.05 from the previous year. Dalian city in Liaoning province Two Japanese Men Killed in China Over Business Dispute On Tuesday, Dalian police confirmed that a 42-year-old male suspect of Chinese nationality was arrested on suspicion of murder following the deaths of two Japanese men on May 23. The suspect, Yuan Chenggong, and the two victims were allegedly business partners in Japan who had been visiting Dalian. It is believed that the incident was triggered by a business conflict. Yuan was detained on May 24. On Thursday, Hong Kong's Sing Tao daily reported that Yuan believed he'd been deceived by the victims over the purchase of a hot spring hotel near Mount Fuji. The newspaper cited information posted on China's WeChat platform by a mainland Chinese journalist. According to the publication, the Chinese man acquired Fuji Sansuikan Hotel by Lake Kawaguchi. He also founded a real estate company in Tokyo in 2021. Former Japanese Princess Mako Welcomes First Child The Imperial Household Agency recently confirmed that Mako Komuro, the eldest daughter of Crown Prince Fumihito and Crown Princess Akiko, has given birth to her first child. In May, the online news outlet Josei Seven Plus posted a picture of Mako and her husband, Kei Komuro, pushing a stroller in a suburb of Manhattan. The agency, therefore, felt it was time to make a statement. 'This is a matter for a person who has left the Imperial Family, and we had hoped that she would spend her time in a quiet environment,' said Grand Master Naomasa Yoshida. 'We decided to make the announcement, however, in light of some media reports.' Mako lost her royal status in 2021 following her marriage to Komuro. Her brother, Prince Hisahito, is second in line to the Chrysanthemum Throne. Elon Musk Reportedly Fathered Child With Japanese Pop Star, Ayumi Hamasaki Says It's Not Her In an interview with The New York Times that was published last Friday, Ashley St. Clair, a conservative influencer who announced that she gave birth to Elon Musk's 14th child in February, claimed that the world's richest man has also fathered a baby with a Japanese pop star. Unsurprisingly, this sparked an online frenzy of speculation, with many suggesting Ayumi Hamasaki as the potential mother. On Monday, Japan's 'Empress of Pop' quashed that rumor. 'I've been keeping an eye on this, and I guess it's time for me to speak up. Elon Musk is not the father of [either of] my children,' she wrote on her Instagram story. The singer added that she could understand why people thought it was her as it was the 'sort of thing' she would do. Japanese Streamer Arrested for Wearing Women's Underwear on His Head A Japanese Kick streamer who goes by the name of Zokkunzokkun was arrested on Monday on suspicion of violating the prefectural nuisance prevention ordinance. His crime: running around a residential estate in Chiba Prefecture while wearing women's underwear on his head. One woman reported his behavior as 'scary and shocking.' The incident occurred at approximately 3:15 p.m. on May 19 in Ishikawa city. Looking like the lead character from the Kyūkyoku!! Hentai Kamen comedy manga series, Zokkunzokkun live streamed himself wandering the streets with pink panties on his face that covered his nose and mouth. He was also wearing a white gym uniform and red bloomers. The Kick streamer told officers he wanted to stir things up and increase the number of viewers on his site. Japan's 'Mr. Professional Baseball' Shigeo Nagashima Dies at 89 Former Yomiuri Giants legend Shigeo Nagashima passed away on Tuesday morning due to pneumonia. He was 89. One of the most popular Japanese players in the history of the sport, he was referred to as 'Mr. Professional Baseball' and 'Mr. Giants' in this country. Former Giants player Hideki Matsui flew back to Japan from the United States on Wednesday to offer his condolences at his former manager's home. 'The biggest thing is gratitude,' he said . 'Without getting to meet him, baseball player Hideki Matsui would have spent a totally different baseball career.' During his 17-year career, Nagashima won the Central League batting title six times and was the home run king twice. He was also named the Central League's MVP five times. Along with his teammate, Sadaharu Oh, he was a superstar who transcended the sport. Related Posts Japan Attempts To Ban Outlandish Kirakira Baby Names Number of Foreign Visitors to Japan Hits Yet Another Record High British Couple in Shorts and T-Shirt Rescued From 'Ghost of Yotei' Mountain
Japan Forward
2 days ago
- Business
- Japan Forward
Births Fall Below 700,000 Far Earlier Than Expected: Is There a Way Out?
このページを 日本語 で読む The number of children born in Japan in 2024 fell below 700,000 for the first time. This is 14 years earlier than the government had projected. The sharp decline underscores the rapid pace of the country's falling number of births. A major factor behind the trend is the growing reluctance among young people to marry or have children, largely attributed to economic insecurity. In response, experts are calling for urgent measures to improve the financial situation of younger generations. In 2023, the National Institute of Population and Social Security Research estimated that 755,000 children would be born to Japanese citizens in 2024. It had projected that the number of births would drop below 700,000 in 2038, with a forecast of 692,000 that year. Japan's social security system operates mainly on a pay-as-you-go model, funded by insurance premiums from the working-age population. If the number of births continues to decline at the current rate, the burden on workers will increase, putting the system's financial stability at risk. Time is also running out to reverse the trend. The number of people born in the 1990s, who are now of marriageable age, had been steady at around 1.2 million per year. However, that figure dropped below 1.1 million in 2005 and fell to under 1 million by 2016. Future birth cohorts are expected to shrink even further. The government has warned that the years leading up to 2030 may be the "last chance" to reverse the trend. However, effective countermeasures have yet to be implemented. Japan's total fertility rate, the average number of children a woman is expected to have in her lifetime, also fell to a record low of 1.15. Economic uncertainty is a major reason why more young people are choosing not to marry or have children. Takumi Fujinami, a senior researcher at the Japan Research Institute, said, "Lower-income individuals are less likely to have children. It's urgent that we improve the economic conditions of young people preparing for marriage or parenthood, for example, by raising the minimum wage." Fujinami also noted that the decline in births is affecting not only urban areas but rural regions as well. While dual-income households are now the norm, many rural areas still lack quality job opportunities for women. He emphasized the need to "rethink how female employment is structured in regional areas too." Author: Kazuyuki Nagahashi, The Sankei Shimbun このページを 日本語 で読む
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Business
- Indian Express
Japan's birthrate hits new low, drop below 7 lakh for first time
Already struggling with a burgeoning elderly population, the Japanese government announced Wednesday that the number of births in the island country last year dropped below 700,000 for the first time since statistics were first compiled in 1899. The health ministry said 686,061 babies were born to Japanese nationals in 2024, down 41,227 from the previous year, a report by news broadcaster NHK reported. The number has fallen for nine years in a row. Earlier, the National Institute of Population and Social Security Research had estimated that the figure would not drop to the 680,000 level until 2039. The ministry says the number of children a woman is expected to have during her lifetime fell to a record low of 1.15 last year, down 0.05 points from 2023. The number of deaths in the country was 1,605,298 in 2024, up 29,282 from the previous year and a record high. As a result, the overall population decline stands at 919,237, the largest-ever decrease. The ministry attributes the decline in births to smaller younger generations and the tendency for people to marry and have children later in life. It expressed a sense of crisis about years of sharp declines in births, and said it would continue to take measures to stop it.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Japan 2024 births fell 5.7% to 686,061, population drops for 18th year
June 4 (UPI) -- Japanese 2024 births dipped below 700,000 for the first time, according to government data released Wednesday. Births dropped 5.7% to 686,061 as Japan's population dropped by roughly 919,000, the 18th year in a row to show a net population decline. The National Institute of Population and Social Security Research projected births to fall to around 680,000 by 2039, but the 2024 data showed births reaching nearly that level 15 years sooner than expected. The fertility rate declined to 1.15 compared with 1.2 in 2023. The declining Japanese birthrate happened even as the government attempts to increase the fertility rate with policies including full wage compensation for some couples on parental leave, child-related subsidies, improved working conditions for childcare and tuition-free high school. Dropping births are putting pressure on the nation's social security system with 3 million fewer people paying into the system while the number of beneficiaries has increased by 40%. The birthrate in Japan reached its zenith in 1973 with approximately 2.09 million births. By 2016 births fell to under 1 million. Tokyo had the lowest fertility rate in 2024 with 0.96. Okinawa had the highest birthrate at 1.54. Marriages in 2024 were up to 485,063, an increase of 10,322 from 2023. Japan's total births and fertility rate have both been declining for nine straight years, due in part to a continuing trend of delayed marriages and births. The total fertility rate in Japan -- the number of lifetime children a woman is estimated to have -- fell to a record low of 1.15 in 2024, according to government data.
UPI
3 days ago
- Business
- UPI
Japan 2024 births fell 5.7% to 686,061, population drops for 18th year
Japanese 2024 births dipped below 700,000 for the first time, according to government data released Wednesday. Births dropped 5.7% to 686,061. Net population declined for the 18th year in a row. File Photo by Keizo Mori/UPI | License Photo June 4 (UPI) -- Japanese 2024 births dipped below 700,000 for the first time, according to government data released Wednesday. Births dropped 5.7% to 686,061 as Japan's population dropped by roughly 919,000, the 18th year in a row to show a net population decline. The National Institute of Population and Social Security Research projected births to fall to around 680,000 by 2039, but the 2024 data showed births reaching nearly that level 15 years sooner than expected. The fertility rate declined to 1.15 compared with 1.2 in 2023. The declining Japanese birthrate happened even as the government attempts to increase the fertility rate with policies including full wage compensation for some couples on parental leave, child-related subsidies, improved working conditions for childcare and tuition-free high school. Dropping births are putting pressure on the nation's social security system with 3 million fewer people paying into the system while the number of beneficiaries has increased by 40%. The birthrate in Japan reached its zenith in 1973 with approximately 2.09 million births. By 2016 births fell to under 1 million. Tokyo had the lowest fertility rate in 2024 with 0.96. Okinawa had the highest birthrate at 1.54. Marriages in 2024 were up to 485,063, an increase of 10,322 from 2023. Japan's total births and fertility rate have both been declining for nine straight years, due in part to a continuing trend of delayed marriages and births. The total fertility rate in Japan -- the number of lifetime children a woman is estimated to have -- fell to a record low of 1.15 in 2024, according to government data.
