Japan’s Child Population Falls to Record Low Amid Long-Term Demographic Decline
The number of residents under the age of 15 has fallen to 13.29 million, marking a decrease of about 350,000 compared with the previous year, according to reports.
The data highlights a long-term demographic trend. Children once made up more than a third of Japan’s population in the early postwar period, but their share has steadily declined over decades, dropping to under 15% by 2000 and continuing downward in the years since. Recent figures place the proportion at just over 10%, reflecting an accelerating contraction of the younger population.
The decline is closely linked to persistently low birth rates. Japan’s total fertility rate has fallen below 1.2 nationwide, with Tokyo recording even lower levels at around 1.0, according to reports.
Experts and demographic analyses cited in reporting point to a continued reduction in marriage rates as a key contributing factor, alongside broader social shifts. Fewer marriages have translated into fewer births, reinforcing the long-term population decline.
The trend has also been associated with changing social patterns among younger generations, including delayed family formation and increasing numbers of people opting not to marry or have children, according to reports.
Japan’s demographic trajectory reflects a sustained structural shift that has continued for decades despite periodic policy attempts aimed at reversing the decline.
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