More companies in Japan are moving from producing diapers for babies and switching to adult customers, a move in line with the country's declining birth rate and ageing population. The number of babies born in Japan fell for an eighth straight year to a fresh record low in 2023, government data showed in June. The country has one of the world's oldest populations, with 29 percent of its total population over the age of 65 in 2023, according to global data and business intelligence platform Statista. At a facility run by Daio Paper in the Fujinomiya region, near the tourist landmark of Mount Fuji, factory overseer Naoto Sugaya said output has grown year on year, 'thanks to the growing market for adult diapers in Japan.' Over the five years to 2027, Japan's diaper market for adults is set to grow 16 percent to 98.9 billion yen ($612 million), while that for babies is estimated to contract 8 percent to 84.6 billion yen, according to research firm Fuji Keizai.
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