Japan Population Falls for Third Year; Pace Increases

FROM THE JAPAN TIMES:

Japan’s population fell by 263,727, or 0.21 percent, from a year earlier to 126,659,683 as of March 31, marking the largest annual drop and a fall for the third consecutive year, the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry said Tuesday.

The previous record drop — 134,450 — was last year.

The number of births — 1,049,553, — was the lowest since the survey began in 1968, while the number of deaths hit a record high of 1,256,125. READ MORE.