23-6  Main Indicators of Population
Item	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008
Mid-year Population (10 000 persons)	678.3	681.3	685.7	692.6	697.8
Crude Birth Rate                    (‰)	7.3	8.4	9.6	10.2	11.3
Crude Death Rate                  (‰)	5.4	5.7	5.5	5.7	5.9@
Infant Mortality Rate               (‰)	2.7	2.3	1.8	1.8	1.7@
Rate of Natural Increase         (‰)	1.9	2.7	4.1	4.5	5.4@
Total Fertility Rate①	922	959	984	1024	1056
Registered Marriages              (couple)	41376	43018	50328	47453	47331
Divorce Decrees                      (couple)	15604	14873	17424	18403	17771
Expectation of Life at Birth        (year)
Male	79.0	78.8	79.4	79.4*	79.4@
Female	84.8	84.6	85.5	85.5*	85.5@
Note : ①Total fertility rate of each individual year has been compiled using a population denominator excluding female foreign domestic helpers.