Japanese birthrate is on the rise

You’ve probably read it on 100 different websites: Japan’s birthrate is in decline and their population is dropping. Many foreign media sources were suggesting that Japan should allow greater immigration to stave off the disastrous effects the declining birthrate will have on pensions and the economy. Well, guess what? BBC is reporting that the Japanese birthrate has risen:

The number of births in Japan has increased for the first time in six years, the health ministry says.

Almost 550,000 births were registered in the six months from January to June, up by more than 11,600 from the same period last year.

An increase will be welcome news for Japan, which recorded its lowest ever birth rate in 2005, of just 1.25 babies per woman over a lifetime.

A rate of 2.1 is needed to keep the population level static.

The rise hasn’t brought Japan up to 2.1, but optimists are hoping that that Japan’s womenfolk can continue to pop out babies, saving the nation from having to resort to foreigners to solve its population problem.