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. This is the lowest such figure since recordkeeping began in 1950 and marks the 45th consecutive year of decline. Children now account for 10.8 per cent of the total population, the lowest proportion on record. The estimates, which include foreign residents, are based on population data linked to the census. The data was released ahead of Children’s Day on Tuesday. The government has identified the period through 2030 as a “final opportunity to reverse the trend”, even though steps such as expanding financial support for child-rearing households have not helped thus far. By gender, according to the data, there were 6.81 million boys and 6.48 million girls.…