Japan‘s child population has declined for the 38th year in a row and is now at a record low, the government said.

The number of children younger than 15 stood at 15.22 million on April 1, down 180,000, or 1.2 per cent, from last year, the Statistics Bureau said.

It is the lowest number since comparable data became available in 1950.

The figures were released ahead of Children’s Day on 5 May.

Japan’s birthrate has remained low amid a lack of support for working women, who continue to face the burden of homemaking and other traditional roles, as well as excessively long working hours and high education costs.

Ageing Japan: Robots' role in future of elderly care Show all 15 1 /15 Ageing Japan: Robots' role in future of elderly care Ageing Japan: Robots' role in future of elderly care Residents follow moves made by humanoid robot 'Pepper' during an afternoon exercise routine at Shin-tomi nursing home in Tokyo. Reuters Ageing Japan: Robots' role in future of elderly care Funabashi Hiroshi from A Fun, repairs broken'AIBO's, pet dog robots, at his office in Kasama. Reuters Ageing Japan: Robots' role in future of elderly care A caretaker wearing a 'HAL for care support' robot suit pushes a wheelchair at Shin-tomi nursing home in Tokyo. Reuters Ageing Japan: Robots' role in future of elderly care Residents follow moves made by humanoid robot 'Pepper' during an afternoon exercise routine at Shin-tomi nursing home in Tokyo. Reuters Ageing Japan: Robots' role in future of elderly care Yoichi Suzuki spends time with 'AIBO', a pet dog robot, which his father used for his rehabilitation at his house in Takahag.i Reuters Ageing Japan: Robots' role in future of elderly care A resident approaches humanoid robot 'Pepper' to pat its head during an afternoon exercise routine at Shin-tomi nursing home in Tokyo. Reuters Ageing Japan: Robots' role in future of elderly care A caretaker, wearing walking rehabilitation equipment 'Tree', helps a resident with his walking training at Shin-tomi nursing home in Tokyo. Reuters Ageing Japan: Robots' role in future of elderly care Yoichi Suzuki shows 'AIBO', a pet dog robot, to his bed-ridden mother at his house. Reuters Ageing Japan: Robots' role in future of elderly care A broken'AIBO', a pet dog robot, waits for repair in A Fun's office in Kasama, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. Reuters Ageing Japan: Robots' role in future of elderly care A resident touches 'AIBO', a pet dog robot, at Shin-tomi nursing home in Tokyo. Reuters Ageing Japan: Robots' role in future of elderly care A resident touches robot seal 'PARO' at Shin-tomi nursing home in Tokyo. Reuters Ageing Japan: Robots' role in future of elderly care Yoichi Suzuki and his wife take care of his bed-ridden mother as 'AIBO', a pet dog robot walks around at his house in Takahagi. Reuters Ageing Japan: Robots' role in future of elderly care A caretaker wearing a motion assist equipment 'Muscle Suit' carries a resident from a bed to a wheelchair at Shin-tomi nursing home in Tokyo. Reuters Ageing Japan: Robots' role in future of elderly care 'AIBO', a pet dog robot, which Yoichi Suzuki's father used for his rehabilitation, is seen at Suzuki's house in Takahagi. Reuters Ageing Japan: Robots' role in future of elderly care A resident claps to call 'AIBO', a pet dog robot at Shin-tomi nursing home in Tokyo. Reuters

With children making up just 12.1 per cent of its population, Japan ranks lowest among countries with a population exceeding 40 million, followed by South Korea at 12.9 per cent and Italy and Germany at 13.4 per cent, according to the Statistics Bureau figures.

As of 2017, Japanese women on average gave birth to 1.43 children during their lifetimes. That compares with nearly 1.8 in the US and Britain.

According to the latest government statistics, the number of births in 2018 fell to 921,000, the lowest since Japan began recording such statistics in 1899.

Japan’s total population fell by 448,000 people, a record decline, to 126 million.

The population is forecast to fall below 100 million by 2050, barring a huge influx of immigrants.

Japan last month started allowing more foreign workers to ease a labour crunch.

Prime minister Shinzo Abe has said ageing and the low birth rate are a national crisis. He has promised labour and other reforms to help alleviate the burden on families that discourage couples from having more children.

Longer life spans in Japan have added to rising costs for elderly care and social security.

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Conservative legislators in Mr Abe’s government have at times blamed the elderly or childless for long-term demographic trends.