Japan child population hits record low, second only to South Korea
· UPIMay 5 (Asia Today) -- Japan's child population has fallen for the 45th consecutive year to its lowest level since records began in 1950, with the country ranking second globally behind South Korea for the lowest share of children in its population.
According to data released Monday by Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications ahead of Children's Day, the number of children under age 15 stood at 13.29 million as of April 1, down 350,000 from a year earlier.
Children accounted for 10.8% of Japan's total population, down 0.3 percentage points from the previous year, marking the 52nd consecutive annual decline. Both the total number and proportion of children are the lowest since comparable data became available.
By age group, those aged 12 to 14 made up the largest segment at 3.09 million, or 2.5% of the population. In contrast, children aged 0 to 2 totaled 2.13 million, or 1.7%, highlighting a sharper decline among younger cohorts and underscoring the ongoing drop in births.
Japan's child population has fallen to less than half its 1955 peak of 29.8 million, now representing about 45% of that level. The share of children in the population has also declined steeply from 35.4% in 1950 to 10.8% this year, reflecting a long-term shift away from a youth-driven demographic structure.
An international comparison of 38 countries with populations exceeding 40 million, based on United Nations data, showed South Korea had the lowest proportion of children at 10.2%, followed by Japan at 10.8%.
The figures highlight shared structural challenges facing both countries, including low birth rates, rapid aging, weakening growth potential, rising welfare costs and the risk of regional population decline.
Japan is already grappling with shrinking rural communities, labor shortages and school closures, while South Korea, with an even lower share of children, may face similar challenges at a faster pace.
Experts say declining birth rates in both countries are no longer just a demographic issue but a critical factor affecting long-term economic sustainability, fiscal stability and the viability of local communities.
-- Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI
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Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260505010000569