Japan's child population hits record low for 45th straight year
Synopsis
Japan's child population has hit a record low for the 45th straight year, shrinking to 13.29 million — less than half the 1954 peak of 29.89 million. With only 705,809 births recorded in 2025, the fewest since 1899, Tokyo's self-declared '2030 deadline' to reverse the trend is looking increasingly difficult to meet.
Key Takeaways
Japan's child population fell to 13.29 million as of 1 April 2025 , declining for the 45th consecutive year .
Children under 15 now make up just 10.8% of the total population — the lowest since 1950 .
Births in 2025 hit a record low of 705,809 , the fewest since records began in 1899 and a 10th consecutive annual decline .
The 0–2 age group stands at just 2.13 million , compared to 3.09 million in the 12–14 age group , signalling continued decline ahead.
Japan's child population peaked at 29.89 million in 1954 and has been falling since 1982 .
The Japanese government has declared 2030 as the deadline to reverse the demographic trend.
Japan's child population has fallen to an estimated 13.29 million as of 1 April 2025, a decline of 350,000 from a year earlier and the lowest figure on record, according to data released by Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communication. The figure has now declined for the 45th consecutive year, deepening concerns over the country's demographic crisis.
Key Figures Behind the Decline
The ratio of children aged below 15 years dropped 0.3 percentage points to 10.8% of the total population — the lowest since comparable data became available in 1950. Among the 13.29 million children counted, there were 6.81 million boys and 6.48 million girls, including foreign residents. The figures were calculated based on population estimates drawn from Japan's national census, conducted every five years.
A breakdown by age group reveals a stark generational thinning: 3.09 million children were aged between 12 and 14 years, while only 2.13 million were aged zero to two years — a clear indicator of declining birth rates feeding through to future population cohorts.
Record-Low Births in 2025
Separately, data from Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare shows that the number of children born in Japan in 2025 reached a record low of 705,809 — the fewest since records began in 1899 and a decline for the 10th consecutive year. The figure, which includes foreign residents, represents a drop of 2.1%, or 15,179 fewer births, compared to 2024.
Analysts attribute the continued fall to a combination of an ageing population, rising costs of child-rearing, and inflationary pressures on household finances. This is consistent with a broader trend: Japan's child population has been declining since 1982, after peaking at 29.89 million in 1954. The ratio of children to total population has been falling for the 52nd consecutive year since 1975.
Government Response and the 2030 Deadline
The Japanese government has declared the period through 2030 as a
Point of View
Births at their lowest since 1899, and a ratio of under-15s at a 75-year nadir collectively suggest that incremental financial incentives have failed to move the needle. The government's self-imposed 2030 deadline sounds urgent, but without structural shifts — in work culture, housing affordability, and gender equity in caregiving — it risks becoming another missed target. The real story is in the age breakdown: with the 0–2 cohort nearly a million smaller than the 12–14 cohort, the decline is not just continuing; it is accelerating.
NationPress
14 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Japan's current child population?
Japan's child population stood at an estimated 13.29 million as of 1 April 2025, a decline of 350,000 from a year earlier and the lowest on record. The figure has now fallen for 45 consecutive years.
How many children were born in Japan in 2025?
A record low of 705,809 children were born in Japan in 2025, the fewest since data became available in 1899. This marks the 10th consecutive year of declining births.
Why is Japan's child population declining?
The decline is driven by a combination of an ageing population, rising costs of raising children, and inflationary pressure on household finances. Despite government financial support measures, birth rates have continued to fall.
What is Japan's plan to reverse the declining birth rate?
The Japanese government has declared the period through 2030 a 'final opportunity to reverse the trend', and has introduced increased financial support for families raising children. However, critics note that these measures have not yet produced a meaningful turnaround.
When did Japan's child population start declining?
Japan's child population peaked at 29.89 million in 1954 and has been declining since 1982. The ratio of children to total population has been falling for 52 consecutive years since 1975.
