TOKYO, May 5 (Xinhua) -- Japan's estimated child population as of April 1 stood at 14.01 million, marking a fall for the 43rd straight year, government data showed.

The number of children aged 14 or younger, including foreigners, dropped 330,000 from a year before to hit its record low since comparable data became available in 1950, according to data released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications on Saturday.

The ratio of children to the country's total population fell 0.2 percentage point to 11.3 percent, also the lowest level since 1950, declining for 50 years in a row.

By gender, the population of boys came to 7.18 million compared with 6.83 million girls.

By age, 3.17 million children were in the 12 to 14 age group, while 2.35 million were in the 0 to 2 age group, suggesting a continuing trend of fewer children being born.

The population of children in Japan has fallen since 1982, having peaked in 1954 at 29.89 million, with a second baby boom seen between 1971 and 1974. Enditem

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