The figure, which includes births to foreign nationals, represents an increase of 2,788 from the same period in 2025, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare said, Kyodo reported.
Japan has experienced a long-term decline in births since 1973, when 2.09 million babies were born during the peak of the country’s second baby boom.
The latest increase in births comes as the number of marriages recovered in 2024 and 2025, a key factor affecting birth rates.
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The number of marriages in 2025, including those involving foreign nationals, increased 1.1 percent from the previous year to about 505,000, marking the second consecutive annual increase. During the first half of 2026, the number of couples getting married rose 0.2 percent from a year earlier to 238,979.
However, some projections indicate that births will continue to follow a long-term downward trend because of Japan’s shrinking population of people of childbearing age, as well as an increase in the number of people delaying marriage or choosing not to marry.
Births increased in 26 prefectures, with Tokyo recording the largest rise at 2,278, followed by Aichi with 517 and Fukuoka with 438. Among the 21 prefectures where births declined, Ishikawa recorded the largest decrease, at 360.
During the six-month period beginning in January, the number of deaths fell 6.9 percent to 778,982, resulting in a natural population decline of 436,914.
The number of births in 2025 fell to 705,000, marking a record low for the 10th consecutive year and prompting calls for expanded support for people who wish to marry and have children.
Japan’s declining population could threaten the viability of businesses and public services because of labor shortages and a shrinking consumer base. The trend could also place severe pressure on social security systems, including healthcare and pensions.
