The decline in birth rates in Japan forced a company to stop making baby diapers and focus only on adult products.
Oji Holdings said it would stop producing these children’s products in September after production fell from 700 million units in 2001 to 400 million last year.
“Demand for baby diapers is falling due to factors such as the decline in the birth rate,” said a company spokesman.
The number of births in Japan fell to its lowest level in 2023, with twice as many people dying with each birth.
For example, births fell for the eighth consecutive year to 758,631 in 2023, a decline of 5.1%. During the same period, the country recorded 1,590,503 deaths.
Japan has one of the oldest populations in the world. Photo: Freepik
In this way, the industry has changed and, given this social reality, it was decided to focus on the production of diapers and other adult products in anticipation of an increase in demand in nursing homes.
An increasingly aging population
The company said Japan has one of the oldest populations in the world and the adult diaper market will begin to grow in the country.
Still, Oji Holdings said it would use some of its production of children’s diapers for export to countries such as Indonesia and Malaysia, where demand is expected to rise.
“The group intends to transform its business portfolio by focusing investments on companies with high profitability and growth potential to increase its shareholder value.” The discontinuation of the disposable children’s diaper business in Japan is based on this strategy,” he said.
In this way, this company has had to adapt to a dynamic that many call a “socio-demographic bomb.”
The figures show that one in ten people in Japan is 80 years old or older, making the country the country with the most elderly people in the world.
The low birth rate also represents a major challenge for Japan, as Japan must bear the costs of caring for an aging population; At the same time, there is a shortage of workers.
The authorities are aware that this could have a profound economic impact due to rising social costs and stagnation of the economy.
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