The estimated number of babies born in Japan in 2003 marked a record low for the third year in a row, underlining prospects that the nation's population will shrink in the near future, according to government data released Wednesday.
The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry said approximately 1.121 million babies were born over the last 12 months -- a decline of about 33,000 from 2002.
Over the same period, around 1.025 million people died, up 43,000 from 2002.
As a result, the gap between the number of births and deaths -- an indicator of the nation's natural population increase -- was 96,000, dipping below 100,000 for the first time on record. The government started taking such demographic statistics in 1899.
The annual birth and death estimates are based on demographic statistics taken over the first 10 months of 2003.
The estimates underline a recent forecast issued by the health ministry that, due to the declining birthrate, Japan's population will decline after peaking in 2006.
The estimates show that the number of babies born per 1,000 people was 8.9, down from 9.2 in 2002.
On the other hand, the estimated number of deaths in 2003 was the second highest after 1947. Cancer accounted for 309,000 deaths, the largest figure, followed by 163,000 who succumbed to heart disease and 135,000 to strokes.
The year saw an estimated 737,000 marriages, down by 20,000 from 2002 and the second consecutive year of decline.
Divorces dropped by 4,000 from the previous year to 286,000 -- falling for the first time since 1991. However, health ministry officials said the figure may simply reflect the fact that fewer people are getting married in the first place.
The estimates show that one baby was born every 28 seconds, one person died every 31 seconds, one couple married every 43 seconds, and one coupled divorced every 110 seconds.
Births, marriages and divorces are happening slower by one second than in 2002, while people were dying one second faster.