It’s true. 2012 statistics show that citizens of Japan registered 21 million or so pets against 16.5 million children (under 15 years).
This is a problem for Japan as it has a growing elderly population. It means Japan has one older person for every three citizens. 33% of the population is elderly and not part of its workforce.
If this trend continues Japan is on course to lose around 40% of its workforce and that is a massive problem for Japan’s economy.
According to a survey conducted by Rakuten Insight in 2023, dogs were the most popular pets in Japan, followed by cats and fish.
The most popular dog breeds in Japan were toy poodle, chihuahua, and Shiba Inu. Many Japanese people love their pets and treat them as part of their family.
