The number of children aged 14 or younger is estimated to have totaled 17.25 million in Japan as of April 1, marking a record low for the 27th straight year, according to a government report released one day ahead of the Children's Day holiday on Monday. Children formed 13.5% of the aggregate population, making Japan the country with the lowest percentage of children among 31 major countries. Their proportion of the total population fell from 13.6% last year, registering a drop for the 34th year in a row, the report showed.