TOKYO, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- The number of births in Japan from January through June edged up 0.8 percent from a year earlier, marking the first year-on-year increase for the six-month period in 11 years, government data showed Friday.

A girl participates in an event in celebration of the Children's day in Tokyo, Japan, May 5, 2025. (Photo: Xinhua)

The total number, including births to foreign nationals in Japan, stood at 342,068, up 0.8 percent, or 2,788 births, from the same period in 2025, according to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.

The slight increase comes as the number of marriages recovered in 2024 and 2025, a key factor influencing births. In the first half of 2026, the number of marriages rose 0.2 percent, or 418 couples, from a year earlier to 238,979.

The number of births in Japan in 2025 fell to 705,000, marking a record low for the 10th consecutive year.