8th January saw Coming-of-Age Day in Japan for men and women who turn 20 in 2007. Despite the celebrations, the proportion of the total population that marked the event was a record low of 1.09%. 2006 had seen a drop of 40,000 from 2005 to reach 1.39 million, or 1.12% of the population.

The lowest ever recorded number for 20-year-olds was 1.36 million in 1987, but this was 1.12% of the population at the time.

Births rise

However, figures released by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare show that for the first time in six years, the number of babies born showed an increase. It is estimated that 2006 saw 23,000 more births to reach 1,086,000.

This is expected to translate to a total fertility rate of 1.29 for the year, up from the record low of 1.26 in 2005. The actual figure for 2006 will be released by the ministry in June.

Marriages in 2006 also showed an increase, the first in five years, up 18,000 from 2005. One reason posited for the declining birth rate has been the decline in marriage.

Still, despite the birth increase, the number of deaths exceeded the births by 6,000, giving the second straight year of population decline.

Estimates released by the National Institute of Population and Social Security Research indicate the population will be decreasing annually by about 300,000 by 2012, and by 2035, it will reach about one million a year.

In a separate report, the Statistics Bureau, the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry stated that Japan's population reached 127,838 million, based on the October 2005 national census.