POPULATION OF JAPAN IN 1937
AS ANNOUNCED BY THE BUREAU OF STATISTICS, PRIME MINISTER'S DEPARTMENT
THE exact numbers of births, deaths, marriages, divorces and still-births among Japanese in Japan Proper in 1937 have been ascertained.
The number of births was 2,180,734 and the rate of births to the total population was 30.61 per thousand. The number of births in 1937 increased by 78,765 over the number for the preceding year; the birth-rate was higher by .69 per thousand.
The average birth-rate in Japan has been 33 or 34 per thousand. In 1920, it reached its highest proportion, 36.19, and thereafter showed a tendency to decline, the figures for 1934 and 1936 being 29.97 and 29.92, respectively. The increase in 1937 may indicate the beginning of a new, upward trend. For purposes of comparison, the birth-rate of other countries may be of interest : Soviet Russia, 39.2 ; Germany 19.0 ; Italy 22.4 ; U.S.A. 17.1 ; England 15.3 ; and France 15.0.
In 1937, the number of deaths in Japan Proper was 1,207,899, the death-rate being 16.95 per thousand. As compared with the previous year, the number of deaths decreased by 22,379, while the death-rate declined by .56 per thousand. The death-rate in recent years has tended to become lower. The lowest was recorded in 1935, 16.78 per thousand. The figure for 1937 was next to this. Death rates in leading countries are as follows : Soviet Russia 20.4 ; Italy 13.7 ; Germany 11.8 ; France 15.3 ; England 12.3 ; and U.S.A. 11.0.
Owing to the increase of births over deaths, the population of Japan increased by 972,835 in 1937. This represents the largest natural increase in recent history except those of 1918 and 1921. The rate of increase in 1937 was 13.65 per thousand, representing an ordinary increase. The population increased by 101,144 in comparison with the increase recorded in 1936 ; the rate of increase advanced by 1.2 per thousand over the previous rate. The rates of natural increase in population for other countries are as follows : Soviet Russia 18.8 ; Germany 7.2 ; England 3.0 ; Italy 8.7 ; and U.S.A. 6.1. Recently, the population of France has been decreasing ; the rate of decrease in 1936 was .3 per thousand.
The total number of marriages in Japan Proper in 1937 was 674,500. The marriage-rate was 9.47 per thousand. Hitherto, the annual average has been 7 or 8 out of every thousand persons, so the rate for last year was remarkably high. There were 125,384 more marriages in 1937 than in 1936 and the marriage-rate was higher by 1.65. Legal notifications of marriage increased suddenly in August and September; after October they resumed their ordinary course. Perhaps what had existed merely as marriages of consent were legally registered by the stimulus of the China Affair.
In 1937, 46,500 divorces took place, the divorce-rate being .65 per thousand. Although the number of divorces increased by 333 over the previous year, the divorce-rate decreased by .01.
There were a total of 111,485 still-births. The rate was 1.56 per thousand. As compared with the previous year, still-births increased by 429 ; the rate decreased by .02. The rate of still-births in other countries is as follows : Italy .8 ; France and U.S.A. .6 ; Germany and England .5. Thus Japan has the highest rate.
THE FIGURES FOR 1937
(△ indicates decrease)
| Actual number: In 1937 | Actual number: Comparison with the previous year | Per thousand persons: In 1937 | Per thousand persons: Comparison with the previous year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Births | 2,180,734 | 78,765 | 30.61 | 0.69 |
| Deaths | 1,207,899 | △ 22,379 | 16.95 | △0.56 |
| Natural increase | 972,835 | 101,144 | 13.65 | 1.24 |
| Marriages | 674,500 | 125,384 | 9.47 | 1.65 |
| Divorces | 46,500 | 333 | 0.65 | △ 0.01 |
| Still-births | 111,485 | 429 | 1.56 | △ 0.02 |
TENDENCIES IN BIRTHS, DEATHS, NATURAL INCREASE AND MARRIAGES IN THE LAST TEN YEARS
(Actual numbers)
| Births | Deaths | Natural increase | Marriages | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1928 | 2,135,852 | 1,236,711 | 899,141 | 499,555 |
| 1929 | 2,077,026 | 1,261,228 | 815,798 | 497,410 |
| 1930 | 2,085,101 | 1,170,867 | 914,234 | 506,674 |
| 1931 | 2,102,784 | 1,240,891 | 861,893 | 496,574 |
| 1932 | 2,182,742 | 1,175,344 | 1,007,398 | 515,270 |
| 1933 | 2,121,253 | 1,193,987 | 927,266 | 486,058 |
| 1934 | 2,043,783 | 1,234,684 | 809,099 | 512,654 |
| 1935 | 2,190,704 | 1,161,936 | 1,028,768 | 556,730 |
| 1936 | 2,101,969 | 1,230,278 | 871,691 | 549,116 |
| 1937 | 2,180,734 | 1,207,899 | 972,835 | 674,500 |
THE SAME (per thousand persons)
| Births | Deaths | Natural increase | Marriages | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1928 | 34.38 | 19.91 | 14.47 | 8.04 |
| 1929 | 33.00 | 20.04 | 12.96 | 7.90 |
| 1930 | 32.35 | 18.17 | 14.19 | 7.86 |
| 1931 | 32.17 | 18.98 | 13.19 | 7.60 |
| 1632 [sic] | 32.92 | 17.73 | 15.20 | 7.77 |
| 1933 | 31.55 | 17.76 | 13.79 | 7.23 |
| 1934 | 29.97 | 18.11 | 11.86 | 7.52 |
| 1935 | 31.63 | 16.78 | 14.85 | 8.04 |
| 1936 | 29.92 | 17.51 | 12.41 | 7.82 |
| 1937 | 30.61 | 16.95 | 13.65 | 9.47 |
RATES OF BIRTHS, DEATHS AND NATURAL INCREASE IN JAPAN COMPARED WITH THOSE OF FOREIGN COUNTRIES
(△ indicates decrease)
| Birth-rate (per 1,000 persons) | Death-rate (per 1,000 persons) | Rate of natural increase (per 1,000 persons) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japan Proper (1937) | 30.9 | 17.0 | 13.7 |
| Germany (1936) | 19.0 | 11.8 | 7.2 |
| Italy (1936) | 22.4 | 13.7 | 8.7 |
| U. S. A. (1934) | 17.1 | 11.0 | 6.1 |
| England (1936) | 15.3 | 12.3 | 3.0 |
| France (1936) | 15.0 | 15.3 | △ 0.3 |
| Soviet Russia (1930) | 39.2 | 20.4 | 18.8 |