Sample newspaper article
2019年生まれの赤ちゃんの数は1899年の統計開始から初めて90万人を割り込み、過去最少の86万4千人(前年比約5万4千人減)となる見通しであることが24日、厚生労働省が公表した人口動態統計の年間推計で分かった。減少幅は平成が始まった1989年以降で最も多かった。一方、死亡数は137万6千人で戦後最多。死亡数から出生数を引いた人口の自然減は51万2千人(同約6万8千人増)で過去最大となる見込み。
国立社会保障・人口問題研究所が17年に出した推計では、21年の出生数を86万9千人と見込んでおり、予想より2年早いペースで減少が進んだ。 (KYODO)
Words and phrases
~年 (~ねん) the year~
生(う)まれる to be born
赤(あか)ちゃん baby
数 (かず) number
統計 (とうけい) statistics, records
開始 (かいし) start
初(はじ)めて for the first time
90万人 (きゅうじゅうまんにん) 900,000 people
~を割(わ)り込(こ)む to drop below~
過去最少 (かこさいしょう) the lowest-ever
86万4千人 (はちじゅうろくまんよんせんにん) 864,000 people
前年比 (ぜんねんひ) in comparison to the previous year
約 (やく) approximately
減 (げん) decrease
なる to become
見通(みとお)し an outlook, expectation
24日 (にじゅうよっか) the 24th
厚生労働省 (こうせいろうどうしょう) Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare
公表(こうひょう)する to announce
人口動態統計 (じんこうどうたいとうけい) vital statistics of the population
年間推計 (ねんかんすいけい) annual estimate
分(わ)かる to be revealed
減少幅 (げんしょうはば) decrease in width
平成 (へいせい) Heisei [Era]
始(はじ)まる to start
以降 (いこう) since
最(もっと)も the most
多(おお)い many
一方 (いっぽう) on the other hand
死亡数 (しぼうすう) number of deaths, mortality
戦後 (せんご) postwar
最多 (さいた) the highest
出生数 (しゅっしょうすう) number of babies born
引(ひ)く to subtract
人口 (じんこう) population
自然減 (しぜんげん) natural decline
同 (どう) [in this case, 同 functions as shorthand for the previous mention of 前年比]
増 (ぞう) increase
過去最大 (かこさいだい) largest-ever
見込(みこ)む to anticipate
国立社会保障・人口問題研究所 (こくりつしゃかいほしょう・じんこうもんだいけんきゅうじょ) National Institute of Population and Social Security Research
出(だ)す to put out
予想(よそう)より2年早(にねんはや)い two years earlier than expected
ペース pace
進(すす)む to proceed
Quick questions
1) 厚生労働省が公表した人口動態統計の年間推計による、統計開始から初めてのことは何ですか？
2)人口の自然減はどのくらいの見込みですか？
Translation
The number of babies born in 2019 dropped below 900,000 for the first time to the lowest level since records began in 1899, reaching 864,000 (approximately 54,000 less than the previous year), the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare announced on Dec. 24 in its annual estimate of the vital statistics of the population. The decrease was the largest since 1989, the start of the Heisei Era.
On the other hand, the number of deaths hit a postwar high of 1,376,000 people. The natural population decline, calculated by subtracting the number of births from the number of deaths, is expected to reach a record 512,000 (approximately 68,000 more than the previous year).
According to an estimate released in 2017 by the National Institute of Population and Social Security Research, the number of births in 2021 was expected to be 869,000, but the actual pace of decline reached that number two years earlier than expected.
Answers
1) According to the annual estimate of the vital statistics of population released by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, what happened for the first time since records began?
2019年生まれの赤ちゃんの数が90万人を割り込む見通しであること。
The estimated number of babies born in 2019 dropped below 900,000.
2) How much is the natural population decline expected to be?
51万2千人で過去最大。
It is expected to reach a record high of 512,000.
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