Japanese Woman’s Seventh Child Highlights Japan’s Birth-Rate Crisis

Kotoe Hashimoto, an author and former political candidate in Japan, had her seventh baby.

She shared the news and a photo online.

She said she believes more Japanese women should have children because Japan is having fewer babies.

Her message spread widely on social media.

Hashimoto later said she and the baby were healthy after leaving the hospital.

Japan is worried because the number of babies born each year keeps falling.

Government data said slightly more than 671,000 babies were born in 2025.

That was the lowest number recorded since 1899.

Japan’s fertility rate was 1.14 children per woman.