No baby boom here in Niigata

Living in Japan, it's hard to ignore the realities behind record-low birth figures. According to Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, just 10,090 children were born here in Niigata last year, which is down 437 from the previous year and the lowest number since records began in 2010. Births have now declined for 15 consecutive years, without any real sign of an upward trajectory coming.

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Local officials say they're working to improve support for marriage, childbirth, and child-rearing, but they also acknowledge meaningful change will take time. From what I see, the challenges are complex. For many families, the decision to have children is not just about desire, but about things like economic stability, work-life balance, and confidence in the future. I'm done having kids myself, but I can understand people's apprehension with the world the way it is right now.