Japan’s estimated child population hit record low after declining for the 44th straight year.
According to CNN, the government data on Sunday, May 4, 2025, unveiled a new demographic crisis as the population is ageing quickly due to low birth rates.
The data released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications ahead of Japan’s Children’s Day showed that as of April 1, 2025, the number of children aged 14 or under was 13.66 million, which is down 350,000 from 2024.
Children make up only 11.1% of the total population of the country, which stood at 123.4 million last year, unlike 21.7% for the US in 2023 and 17.1% for China in 2024.
Fertility rate in Japan
With the declining birth rate every year, the demographic crisis has become one of pressing issues in Japan despite government efforts to encourage people to get married and start a family.
The fertility rate in the country is very low, with the average number of children born to women in their lifetime staying relatively flat at 1.3 in recent years, far below the required need of 2.1 for a stable population.
As per the Health Ministry, Japan recorded 1.62 million deaths in 2024, which is more than double the number of births. Although the number of marriages rose up around 10,000, the number of divorces also rose.
Notably, Japan is called a “super-aged” nation, as more than 20% of its population is older than 65. The total population in 2024 was 123.4 million, which is expected to drop to about 88 million in 2025.
Experts believe that the population decline will continue for several decades, as the population structure of the country has made it, to some extent, irreversible.
