Japan births hit new low
The number of babies born in Japan hit a new record low last year, official data showed, highlighting concern over the pandemic's impact on one of the world's lowest fertility rates. In 2020, the greying country saw 840,832 births, according to data released Thursday by the health and labour ministry. Politicians have expressed concern that the population of the world's third-largest economy is shrinking faster than ever, with couples hesitant to reproduce as the pandemic fuels financial instability and fears over hospital trips. Japan's net decline in population, 531,816, was a record high while the birth rate -- the average number of children a woman has -- declined to 1.34, the data showed.
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