Japan is going through an unprecedented “existential crisis”. The first signal given by a baby diaper factory

A diaper maker in Japan will stop making baby products and instead increase production of adult diapers, a reflection of a reality the country is facing: its rapidly aging population.

Paper products specialist Oji Holdings said it will stop making baby diapers in September amid a sharp drop in demand. The company recorded a drop in sales from a peak of approximately 700 million in 2001 to 400 million today, reports The Guardian quoted by news.ro.

Adult diaper sales have been outpacing baby diaper sales in Japan for more than a decade, and recent population statistics indicate that this trend will continue.

Japan’s births fell to an all-time low of 758,631 in 2023, compared to 1,590,503 deaths. Children under the age of 15 accounted for less than 12 percent of the country’s population in 2022, public broadcaster NHK said, while people aged 65 and over accounted for nearly 30 percent.

The population is expected to plummet from 125 million today to around 88 million in 2065 – a 30% drop in 45 years.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida described the low birth rate as an “existential crisis” and promised financial aid for families, easier access to childcare and more parental leave. However, with few exceptions, national and local government campaigns to encourage people to have larger families have had little impact.

In order to support the current size of the population, the average number of children, in relation to the number of women, should be 2.1, or currently this average is evaluated far below this threshold, at 1.3.

A spokesman for Oji Holdings said the firm will increase production of sanitary products for the elderly, adding that they are expected to be used in nursing homes and other public facilities. “Demand for baby diapers is declining due to a number of factors, including the declining birth rate,” the spokesperson said.

The firm will continue to sell diapers nationally until stocks last and plans to expand production in countries such as Indonesia and Malaysia, where demand is expected to grow.

Publisher: DC

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