KUALA LUMPUR - Japan’s child population fell to an estimated 13.29 million as of April 1, a drop of 350,000 from a year earlier and the lowest level on record, according to government data reported by Kyodo News.

The share of children under 15 also declined by 0.3 percentage point to 10.8% of the total population, the lowest since comparable records began in 1950, based on figures from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.

The data, which includes foreign residents, is based on population estimates derived from the national census conducted every five years.

Despite government efforts to address the declining birthrate and naming the period until 2030 as a final opportunity to reverse the trend, the number of children has continued to fall for 45 consecutive years.

Measures such as increased financial support for families have so far failed to reverse the trend.

By gender, the child population included 6.81 million boys and 6.48 million girls.

By age group, there were 3.09 million children aged 12 to 14, compared with 2.13 million aged 0 to 2, showing fewer births in recent years.

Preliminary data from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare showed that the number of children born in Japan in 2025 fell to a record low of 705,809, marking the 10th straight year of decline.

Japan’s child population has been shrinking since 1982, after peaking at 29.89 million in 1954, with a smaller rise seen during the second baby boom between 1971 and 1974.

The proportion of children in the population has also declined for 52 consecutive years since 1975.

According to a United Nations survey, Japan has the second lowest share of children among 38 countries with populations of at least 40 million, behind South Korea at 10.2%.