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.
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