Tokyo, July 29 (IANS) The total population of Japanese nationals in Japan fell below 120 million for the first time in 42 years to 119,736,483 as of January 1 this year, government data showed Wednesday.
The figure marked a decline of 917,000 people compared to the previous year, the largest drop since comparable data became available in 1968, according to data from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.
Of Japan’s 47 prefectures, Tokyo was the only one that recorded an increase of 0.09 per cent in the number of Japanese nationals, data showed, Xinhua News Agency reported.
The number of foreign residents, meanwhile, increased 354,000 to a record 4,031,159. The figure is the highest since the ministry began taking the count in 2013.
Japan’s total population, including foreign residents, stood at 123,767,642, down by approximately 563,000 from the previous year. Population growth was reported only in Tokyo, Chiba and Osaka prefectures.
Earlier in May, government data revealed that child population in Japan has reduced to an estimated 13.29 million as of April 1, showcasing a decline of 350,000 from a year earlier and marking a new record low. The figure had declined for the 45th consecutive year.
The ratio of children aged below 15 years dropped 0.3 percentage point to 10.8 per cent of the total population, the lowest since comparable data became available in 1950, according to data released by Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communication, Japan’s Kyodo News reported.
The figures, including foreign residents, were calculated based on population estimates mentioned in the national census conducted every five years.
The decline in population has continued for 45 years despite several measures taken by the Japanese government, such as increasing financial support for families who are raising a child. In order to address the declining birthrate, the Japanese government has declared the period through 2030 as a “final opportunity to reverse the trend.”
–IANS
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