Tokyo, May 05: The number of children aged under 15
is estimated to have totaled 17.14 million in Japan as of
April 1, marking a record low for the 28th straight year due
to the declining birthrate, according to a government report.
The report by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and
Communications, released yesterday, showed that children's
share of the population was 13.4 percent, declining for the
35th consecutive year.
The latest figures continue to show the country is
experiencing a declining birthrate and an aging population. As
of April 1, the proportion of people aged 65 and older was
22.5 per cent of the population. The data also showed that the
percentage of children in the Japanese population was the
lowest among the 31 countries listed in the United Nations
demographic yearbook as having a population of at least 30
million.
Japan fell below Germany, where children accounted for
13.9 percent of the population, and Italy, where the
proportion was 14.1 percent. The government report showed
there were 8.78 million boys and 8.35 million girls in Japan
as of April 1.
Bureau Report
First Published: Tuesday, May 05, 2009, 00:00