離開
進入中英對照讀新聞》Number of births in Japan hits record low in 2023日本2023年出生人數創下歷史低點
1名幼兒和成人走在東京街頭。（彭博）
◎管淑平
The number of babies born in Japan fell for an eighth straight year to a fresh record low in 2023, preliminary government data showed on Tuesday, underscoring the daunting task the country faces in trying to stem depopulation.
2023年日本新生兒人數連續第8年下跌，達到新低紀錄，週二的政府初步數據顯示，凸顯該國在設法遏止人口減少上，面臨艱鉅任務。
The number of births fell 5.1% from a year earlier to 758,631, while the number of marriages slid 5.9% to 489,281 － the first time in 90 years the number fell below 500,000 － foreboding a further decline in the population as out-of-wedlock births are rare in Japan.
這項出生人數比前一年減少5.1％，減至75萬8631人，同時結婚人數下滑5.9％至48萬9281對，是90年來首次低於50萬對，由於日本非婚生子相當罕見，因此這預示人口將進一步減少。
"The declining birthrate is in a critical situation," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters. "The next six years or so until 2030, when the number of young people will rapidly decline, will be the last chance to reverse the trend." (Reuters)
內閣官房長官林芳正向記者說，「出生率減少處於危急情況」，「到2030年為止的接下來6年左右，將是逆轉這個趨勢的最後機會，屆時年輕人數量會急遽減少」。（路透）
新聞辭典
daunting：形容詞，艱鉅（而令人卻步）的，令人感到挫折的。例句：There is a daunting challenge ahead of us.（我們眼前有艱鉅挑戰。）
forebode：動詞，預示，有預感。例句：Dark clouds in the sky forebode a coming storm.（天空中的烏雲預示即將有一場暴風雨。）
