Diaper Maker Won't Make Them for Japan's Babies Anymore

With births at a record low for modern times in Japan, a diaper manufacturer will transition from producing diapers for little ones to those for adults. Call it a late response to the market: Japan's elderly have used more diapers than the nation's infants for more than a decade. In a statement, Oji Holdings said its subsidiary, Oji Nepia, hit peak production of 700 million infant diapers in 2001. It now produces far less—about 400 million annually—due to declining sales, the company said, per the BBC. The number of births in the country has fallen steadily, from nearly 1.17 million in 2001 to just 758,631 in 2023.

"Demand for baby diapers is decreasing due to several factors, including the falling birth rate," a rep said, per the Guardian. It makes sense, therefore, to cater to a larger group. Some 30% of Japan's population is 65 or older, with more than 10% over 80. In contrast, just 12% of the population was under the age of 15 in 2022, per the Guardian. The company said it would stop production of infant diapers in Japan in September to concentrate on businesses with "high profitability and growth potential," per Business Insider, including products for older people. On the baby front, it will expand production of infant diapers in Malaysia and Indonesia, where demand is expected to grow. (More Japan stories.)