中英对照读新闻》Number of births in Japan hits record low in 2023日本2023年出生人数创下历史低点
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1名幼儿和成人走在东京街头。（彭博）(photo:LTN)◎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年日本新生儿人数连续第8年下跌，达到新低纪录，週二的政府初步数据显示，凸显该国在设法遏止人口减少上，面临艰鉅任务。
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.
这项出生人数比前一年减少5.1％，减至75万8631人，同时结婚人数下滑5.9％至48万9281对，是90年来首次低于50万对，由于日本非婚生子相当罕见，因此这预示人口将进一步减少。
"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)
内阁官房长官林芳正向记者说，「出生率减少处于危急情况」，「到2030年为止的接下来6年左右，将是逆转这个趋势的最后机会，届时年轻人数量会急遽减少」。（路透）
新闻辞典
daunting：形容词，艰鉅（而令人却步）的，令人感到挫折的。例句：There is a daunting challenge ahead of us.（我们眼前有艰鉅挑战。）
forebode：动词，预示，有预感。例句：Dark clouds in the sky forebode a coming storm.（天空中的乌云预示即将有一场暴风雨。）
