Japan sees 45th straight year of declining child population, falls to record low of 13.29 million
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Japan sees 45th straight year of declining child population, falls to record low of 13.29 million")
Representative image. Photograph: (Unsplash)
Japan’s child population under 15 fell to a record low of 13.29 million as of April 2026, dropping by 350,000 from the previous year. Accounting for just 10.8 per cent of the total population, this marks the 52nd consecutive year of decline, the second-lowest ratio globally after South Korea.
The Japanese government confirmed that the estimated population of children aged below 15 stood at 13.29 million in the country, down for the 45th straight year as of April 1, 2026. The child population declined by 350,000 as compared to the previous year, reaching its lowest level since 1950, when comparable records under the current system first began.
The figures showed 6.81 million boys and 6.48 million girls. Children accounted for 10.8 per cent of the country’s total population, down 0.3 percentage points from a year earlier. This marked the 52nd straight year of decline, setting another record low.
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Among 38 countries with populations above 40 million, the proportion was the second lowest after South Korea, which recorded 10.2 per cent under a different survey timeline. Japan was followed by Italy at 11.7 per cent and Spain at 12.6 per cent.
Out of the child population in Japan, 3.09 million lie between the ages of 12 and 14, 2.96 million fall between 9 and 11, 2.68 million between 6 and 8, 2.43 million between 3 and 5, and 2.13 million fall between zero and 2. The estimated data are based on the 2020 census results.
Japan as second-lowest share of children
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In another development, preliminary data from the Ministry of Health indicated that births in 2025 declined to a record low of 705,809, declining for the 10th consecutive year. Japan’s child population rose to 29.89 million in 1954 and began falling in 1982. The percentage of children in relation to the overall population has continued to decline for 52 consecutive years since 1975.
Meanwhile, a United Nations survey found that Japan has the second-lowest proportion of children among nations with populations exceeding 40 million, behind South Korea, where children make up 10.2 per cent of the population. In February last year, reports revealed that the number of babies born in Japan had fallen to the lowest level since record-keeping began 125 years ago, marking the ninth consecutive annual decline despite government measures aimed at boosting birth rates.
