TOKYO, May 4: Japan's government says the country's child population has declined for the 38th year in a row and now at a record low.

The Statistics Bureau says the number of children younger than 15 in Japan stood at 15.22 million as of April 1, down 180,000, or 1.2%, from last year. It's the lowest since comparable data became available in 1950.

The data were released Saturday ahead of Children's Day on May 5.

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

The low birthrate has added to fast-aging Japan's declining population.

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

 
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