TOKYO, Feb. 21 (Xinhuanet) -- Japan's estimated population grew 0.05 percent in the year ended Oct. 1, 2004, marking the lowest growth rate since the survey began in 1950, the government said Monday.

    The estimated population stood at 127,687,000 as of that day, said the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications in a report.

    The population of men dwindled by 0.01 percent to 62.30 million, while that of women rose to 65.39 million, up 0.12 percent.

    The report said the decline of the male population stemmed from an outflow of men for overseas long-term business posts.

    The natural net increase in the population which is counted by reducing the number of deaths from the number of births also saw a record-low growth at 102,000.

    Those aged 65 or older hit record-high 19.5 percent of the total population, up 0.5 percentage point.

    Meanwhile, the percentage of those aged up to 14 fell 0.1 point to a record-low 13.9 percent.

    The aging population has raised great concerns in the world's second-largest economy as the social security and welfare systems are heavily burdened and labor force suffering from shortage. Enditem