Plunging births push Japanese diaper maker to switch to adult market

MERRIE BABY DIAPERS are one of the best on the market soft and absorbent and they would be wise to ship overseas.

This has been a kind of urban myth for years. Now it seems it’s actually true.

Something so sad about this article.

Don’t know if it’s the impending demise of a country or the fact that the population of the country didn’t do anything do help itself like voting it’s self-serving government out of power while there was still chance.

Could target sararimen for use on the crushing commute and during the long overtime. Wasteful to spend time in the bathroom.

About 3 billion adult diapers are manufactured and sold every year. By 2030 it will be about 5 billion.

Adult diapers are so expensive, when my FIL used to live with us we have to buy packs of it during discount days at the drugstore .

I’m not an economist but the fact is every single baby needs diapers. Not every elderly person needs diapers. I’m American but have relatives in Italy who are well into their 90’s and alive and kicking. I mean, adult diapers, even with the low birth rate, should still not outsell baby diapers unless every single elderly person in Japan needs them. Am I missing something?

Fascinating article. especially for people in the industry or involved in similar such manufacturing such as fem-pro.

Number 1). It seems honest to say that when it comes to diapers, manufacturers need to pamper the right demographic.

Number 2) It's nice to see that Oji has its finger on the pulse of diaper needs in Japan.

Let's just hope that some politician does not send out his or her diaper version of the Abe Mask.

enmaai

Adult diapers are so expensive, when my FIL used to live with us we have to buy packs of it during discount days at the drugstore 

Amazon is a good price for adult diapers.

That picture is pretty depressing.

Japan's plummeting birth rate has led a diaper manufacturer to stop making them for babies at home and instead ramp up production for adults, the company said.

A contradiction of capitalism.

Lazy entrenched capital will invest in diapers and nursing homes and reap profits in a very short term, with no view toward the future.

While the future lies not in a shrinking labor market race to the bottom and palliative care for debility but in long term healthy aging and longevity.

https://www.businessinsider.com/longevity-escape-velocity-what-is-it

This may be but shouldn't be shocking. My guess would be that many people are unaware about the health problems people encounter in later life. My guess is also that rather than some kind of epidemic of incontinence among old people, increasing sales of adult diapers are an inevitable feature of people living longer. I'll probably end up needing them myself.

A child should only need diapers for 2-3 years. This could be much longer for an adult. With babies, people can choose to not have them if the financial burden is seen as too high. You do not get to choose whether you or your loved ones have incontinence problems in later life. You do not get to choose about the various other health factors that affect the old either.

Adults could need diapers for 20-30 years. Not only because of old age but also due to cancers and other medical problems.

wallaceToday  08:21 am JST

enmaai

Adult diapers are so expensive, when my FIL used to live with us we have to buy packs of it during discount days at the drugstore 

Amazon is a good price for adult diapers.

Thanks for the advice, fortunately for us my FIL now lives at a Ryojin home.

MERRIE BABY DIAPERS are one of the best on the market soft and absorbent and they would be wise to ship overseas.

In my home we enjoy that brand too. Would love to know who thought GOON was a good idea for a diaper brand name. lol

Way back in 2016, Japan became the first country to sell more adult diapers than baby ones. This trend has increased since then.

It is kind of admitting there is no long term future in Japan.

So depressing.

MERRIE BABY DIAPERS are one of the best on the market soft and absorbent and they would be wise to ship overseas.

Merries is definitely the best, "Goon" is second best (what a name lol). Pampers feels like it's made out of paper towels compared to Merries lol

Funny how they show a despressing, old and decrepit shopping arcade as the intro to this article.

This is likley to be a common phenomenon around the world eventually.

SpitfireToday 09:46 am JST

It is kind of admitting there is no long term future in Japan.

So depressing.

Something will change - people will probably come to the realsiation that mass immigration is an inevitablity.

This is a serious issue that is long been not dealt with by government and society at large. Support for working parents (like care centers, and/or jobs with flex time or better times), and the resulting overall dull life of a salaryman/parent life make it so unappealing to the new generations they just don't care anymore. Also, the long standing "fate" of Japanese couples that go sexless once a child is born, coupled with a general disinterest in traditional sex (there's so much online stuff, toys, etc) from young generation and a slowly creeping de-musculation of men even in Japan (lately TV role-models are highly feminized) and it all but spells more doom for the future of birth rate. Yet, high schools are more worried in having inclusive uniforms, or people make such a fuss for same-sez marriage legality not being addressed, when a much bigger, deeper and with much more greater consequences problem of falling birthrate exists. Talk about nitwit, nincompoop, backwards society of our times.

SpeedToday  10:05 am JST

Funny how they show a despressing, old and decrepit shopping arcade as the intro to this article.

Yes, I noticed that too. Not the usual scene of neon signs and busy young shoppers that we usually get of Japan.

Talk about a sign of the times banner story!

Depressing and I will make my utmost not to help development of this market and reverse it.

Where is the kill switch ?

I haven’t tried adult diapers yet. They must be getting popular though. Are they really that comfortable and convenient? Don’t they smell if you don’t change them right away? I guess they can mask the odor pretty good. Thinking of buying some after work today and wearing them into work tomorrow. I always have to drop the kids off while I’m on a packed train. We’ll see how it goes.

Great news! Now I can just let the logs go on my long commute and not worry about soiling my Brooks Brothers suit. Hope they come with free soft tp as a bonus.

The posters making jokes about adult diapers are the ones who don't have to wear them. After my cancer op five years ago I have been wearing them. I would rather not but they are a "medical need". I suppose I use more than five urine pads in a day. I need to sit down to urinate. Need to use the disabled toilet to change.

About 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime.

Still, it's better than having to wear a colostomy bag.

@wallace

I’m sorry to hear that happened to you. How old were you when that happened? Cancer can partially be down to lifestyle choices but, I may be wrong, it’s ultimately down to genetics. The Japanese may live the longest but their quality of life is poor and maybe their DNA is cancer prone. Every other person in my ex Japanese wife’s family had cancer and some of them died. I really worry for my son from that marriage if he inherited that from his mom’s side. At any rate it’s still depressing because babies need diapers too.

I totally believe it!

Frequenting hot springs as I do, I have noticed the smell of stale urine in the changing rooms becoming more prevalent in recent times…

kurisupisu

I totally believe it!

> Frequenting hot springs as I do, I have noticed the smell of stale urine in the changing rooms becoming more prevalent in recent times…

It's hard to believe men needing diapers would be using the Onsens. I haven't been to one in five years. I guess it could happen.

Gaijinjland

@wallace

I’m sorry to hear that happened to you. How old were you when that happened? Cancer can partially be down to lifestyle choices but, I may be wrong, it’s ultimately down to genetics.

I had prostate cancer in my late 60's. There is no known single reason why prostate cancer happens.

If you are male and over 50 get tested.

@wallace Thanks for sharing. While the truth speaks for itself, for those who are laughing with ignorance in only lurks in darkness waiting to prevail in their times of sorry.

The posters making jokes about adult diapers are the ones who don't have to wear them. After my cancer op five years ago I have been wearing them. I would rather not but they are a "medical need". I suppose I use more than five urine pads in a day. I need to sit down to urinate. Need to use the disabled toilet to change.

About 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime.

Still, it's better than having to wear a colostomy bag.

Gaijinland...

I mean, adult diapers, even with the low birth rate, should still not outsell baby diapers unless every single elderly person in Japan needs them. Am I missing something?

Missing something? Yes, a grasp of simple math. Babies use diapers from birth to about 2/3. The adults who need them often need them from 82 to 98.

Cancer can partially be down to lifestyle choices but, I may be wrong, it’s ultimately down to genetics. The Japanese may live the longest but their quality of life is poor and maybe their DNA is cancer prone.

Sorry, but anyone can get cancer, and most of us commenting here will as well if we live long enough. Cardiovascular disease is often due to lifestyle choices but cancer has countless causes - many we are completely unaware of. Some people like to believe that if they exercise enough, eat certain kinds of food and take certain supplements they will somehow avoid the inevitable. Better to accept it and be grateful for the healthy years we have. Wearing adult diapers is among the lesser indignities brought by old age.

@wallace

Believe it!

At one onsen I go to there is a dedicated diaper bin and it’s not for the kiddies!

Follow the market, demographics is destiny, can't blame these diaper companies for trusting their market research!

I think if very old people need to use them they should be free if they have a low income. Government don’t do enough here and social services is poor.

I have recently discovered some men, younger ones, wear diaper pants every day because it makes them feel good.