The number of children in Japan has fallen to a new record low, a stark reminder of the demographic challenges weighing on Asia’s second-largest economy.
According to data from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, the number of children aged 14 or younger fell for the 43rd year in a row to about 14.01 million. The ratio of children to Japan’s total population fell to 11.3%, also an all-time low.
The country’s overall population has been steadily declining since about 2010, leading to a chronic labor shortage, while the country’s rising number of elderly people is putting pressure on the country’s medical and social spending. The situation is expected to worsen as Japan’s birth rate is one of the lowest in the world and remains well below the replacement rate.
