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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Maroosha Muzaffar

Asian nation sees child population fall for 45th straight year to hit record low

Japan
Sumo wrestlers hold children during their match at Sensoji temple in Tokyo on 25 April 2026 - (AFP via Getty)

Japan’s child population has hit a record low, continuing its long-running decline and exacerbating the East Asian country’s demographic crisis.

Figures released by the internal affairs ministry on Monday showed there were 13.29 million children aged 15 and under as of 1 April 2026, down 350,000 from a year earlier.

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