Population of Japanese nationals dips below 120 mil. for 1st time in 42 years

TOKYO - The number of Japanese nationals fell below 120 million for the first time in 42 years to 119,736,483 at the start of this year, the government said Wednesday, underscoring the challenges faced by a nation battling declining birth rates.

The figure as of Jan. 1 showed a drop of 917,000 people from a year earlier, the largest fall since comparable data became available in 1968, according to data from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.