Japan’s Child Population Hits Record Low Amid Long-Term Demographic Decline

(MENAFN) According to reports, Japan has recorded its lowest number of children in history, underscoring a continuing demographic decline that has persisted for decades.

Data released in May by Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications shows that the number of residents under the age of 15 has fallen to 13.29 million, marking a decrease of roughly 350,000 compared with the previous year.

The long-term trend highlights a dramatic structural shift in Japan’s population. In the early postwar period around 1950, children made up more than a third of the population, but by 2000 that share had already dropped to 14.5 percent. Despite policy efforts over the years aimed at slowing the decline, the downward trajectory has continued. By 2025, the proportion of children has fallen further to just 10.8 percent of the total population.

The decline is closely linked to persistently low birth rates. Japan’s total fertility rate has fallen below 1.2 nationally, while in Tokyo it has dropped below replacement levels to approximately 0.99 children per woman.

Demographic experts also point to broader social changes, including a steady decrease in marriage rates. Over several decades, younger generations have formed smaller cohorts, and an increasing share of young adults are delaying or opting out of marriage and family formation altogether.

These trends have contributed to ongoing population aging and shrinking workforce projections, raising long-term economic and social policy concerns.

Some analyses attribute these developments to broader cultural and structural shifts in Japanese society, including rising individualism and changing lifestyle priorities shaped by modern economic and social systems.

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