60133    The number of deaths dropped by 6,000 from the previous year, and the natural increase of population, gained by subtracting the deaths from births, showed an increase of 52,000 over the previous year, for the first time in twenty-one years.

60134    Behind this rapid increase in the number of births is the wedding boom started around 1990.

60135    The number of marriages increased by ten to forty thousand every year during the boom, and reached 794,000 in 1994, growing 1,300 from the previous year.

60136    The decrease of the deaths is considered to be because last year saw very little outbreak of influenza, which killed about 16,000, most of which were seniors, in 1993.

60137    The Ministry of Health and Welfare analyzes, "Relatively high-aged single women started to go into late marriages several years ago, probably raising the number of births.If the marriages of second baby boomers follow this trend, the birth dearth might be stopped."

60138    The number of divorces has also increased for four consecutive years since 1991, reaching 195,000 in 1994 with the increase of 7,000 over the previous year.

60139    The "second divorce boom," following the first in the early 1980s, seems to be arising.

60140    Chinese President Jiang Zemin made a New Year's address on December 31 toward Chinese and Chinese descendents in China and overseas, emphasizing "The year 1995 marks the fiftieth anniversary of the victory of the anti-fascism war, including the victory of the Chinese people against the invasion of the Japanese."

60141    Who will be in the position of prime minister on January 1st next year?

60142    If the Diet members had been asked this question last January, how many of them would have given the name of Tomiichi Murayama?

60143    The Japanese political world has been undergoing a period of violent change.

60144    Still, the Mainichi Newspapers asked a question, "Who do you think will be the prime minister as of January 1, 1996?" in the questionnaire survey last December of all members of the House of Representatives.

60145    The results showed 28% of the members gave the name of the incumbent prime minister Tomiichi Murayama.

60146    He led by a narrow margin over Toshiki Kaifu, head of Shinshinto (the New Frontier Party), who garnered 23%.

60147    Although these figures appear to reflect expectations and hopes of the ruling and opposition party members, I wonder which prediction will be right, Mr. Murayama or Mr. Kaifu, or if someone unexpected will be in.