Among 32 countries with a population of 40 million or more, Japan ranked lowest in terms of the ratio of children to the overall population
The number of children in Japan fell for the 37th consecutive year to a record low, the latest data showed on Friday, indicating efforts by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s administration to combat the long-running low birth rate challenge are still wanting.
The number of children, including foreigners, fell 170,000 from a year earlier to 15.53 million as of April 1, the lowest level since comparative data became available in 1950, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications. A child is defined as a person aged 14 or under.
The ratio of children to the overall population dipped to a record low of 12.3 per cent, down for the 44th straight year since 1975.
Among 32 countries with a population of 40 million or more, Japan ranked lowest in terms of the ratio of children to the overall population, lower than that of Germany at 13.
