Japan expects fewer newborns in 2021 as pandemic affects pregnancies

Japan expects to see the number of newborns drop sharply next year after the number of pregnancies reported across the country fell 11.4 percent in the three months from May compared to a year earlier amid the coronavirus pandemic, the health ministry said Wednesday.The tally underscores fears that the pandemic will further worsen the nation's already low birth rate, with the number of newborns hitting a record low of 865,000 last year. If the current trend continues, there could be fewer than 800,000 babies born next year.The number of reported pregnancies saw the sharpest drop in May, fal…READ FULL ARTICLE