The number of births in Japan for July rose 3,032, or 3.3 percent from a year earlier, marking the 6th consecutive month of growth, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare announced on Thursday.

The half year of increasing birthrates, is a feat which hasn't been reached for 12 years. If the growth continues, Japan will beat last year's record low of 1.25 babies per woman.

The number of birth in July was 96,048.

In addition, the number of marriages was sharply up in July, rising 4.7 percent to 67, 526.