A survey by NHK has revealed that nearly 60 percent of municipalities in Japan do not have any facilities for delivering babies amid declining births and a doctor shortage.

Of the roughly 1,700 cities, towns and villages across Japan, 1,042 did not have such places. NHK surveyed prefectures on the topic between September and October this year.

In Hokkaido, Fukushima, Tottori and Kochi prefectures, more than 80 percent were without facilities for childbirth.

As many as 35 prefectures saw an increase in municipalities without such places compared with a decade ago.

In response to the lack of delivery facilities, some regions are partially covering transportation expenses for doctor visits and for accommodation around the due date.

Many municipalities said the shortage of physicians was a problem. They said doctors at private clinics were aging and causing the number of birthing facilities to decline. Some municipalities called for focusing and integrating medical functions to deal with the declining birth numbers and the insufficient number of physicians.

The vice president of Japan Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Maeda Tsukio, said that if more municipalities lose delivery facilities, the safety of childbirths in Japan could be undermined.

He said the central and local governments need to lead efforts and offer financial support to childbirth facilities to keep them running.