The rapidly aging nation saw fewer than 700,000 births between January and October, a Japanese news agency reported, citing figures released by the health ministry on Tuesday.
The annual total is on track to climb to 770,000, down from 811,604 recorded last year and well below the 850,000 predicted by the National Institute of Population and Social Security Research five years ago. The institute estimated in 2017 that total births would not drop below 800,000 before 2030.
The government released a white paper in September in which it attributed the declining birth rate to a decrease in the number of marriages. More young people feel too insecure about their future to start a family and have children, a sentiment that has been exacerbated by the pandemic.