Japan sees record natural population decline in 2014............ number of babies born fell to a record low of 1,003,532 in 2014, number of births fell 26,284 from a year earlier - the fastest rate of natural decline in population ever recorded.
According to a population survey report compiled by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, there were also a record 269,488 more deaths than birth............there were 1,273,020 deaths in 2014, up 4,584 from the preceding year. Cancer was the most common cause of death.
Given the decreasing number of women of childbearing age, the ministry said the decline in Japan's population is likely to accelerate.