Tokyo sees first increase in Japanese births in 10 years

The Japan News

Washington Post·

14 Apr, 2026 12:32 AM2 mins to read

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Tokyo has recorded its first birth-rate increase in a decade, reversing years of decline. Photo / Getty Images

The number of Japanese babies born in Tokyo from January through November of 2025 rose 0.7% year-on-year to 77,375 and the total for the year is expected to surpass that for 2024.

It will be the first time in 10 years that the number of Japanese births in Tokyo has
increased compared with the previous year.

Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike announced the finding at a regular press conference on Friday (local time). “We also expect a significant increase in the number of marriages for the second consecutive year.”

She touted the effectiveness of measures taken under her administration. “The Tokyo metropolitan government has been working to provide seamless support so that people who wish to marry and have children can take those first steps with peace of mind.”

The total number of births for all of 2025 is expected to be announced in early June.