The birth of a child is a happy occasion for a family. New life is a precious gift to the world, which fills hearts with immense happiness and hope.
Celebration in Japan
In Japan, the moment of childbirth is extra special as the country struggles to reverse its low birth rate.
A small village called Ichinono, north of Osaka had one such happy occasion when Kuranosuke Kato was born there.
According to the Financial Times report, Kato is now one year old but villagers still write poems about the boy.
Kato has become the center of attention in a village with just 53 residents where he is the first child born in more than two decades. To fill a psychological void, residents here have installed life-size dolls in the playground.
The boy’s parents – Toshiki and Rei – are now planning to have a brother or sister to support their son. Toshiki left the city a few years ago and is living in the rural areas. Kato’s father, who works as a consultant for IT companies, told the Financial Times, ‘I like rural areas. We can find an identity in rural areas. There are a lot of rules in the city, but these are more relaxed in the village.
Kato’s parents are now worried about whether the boy will be able to find friends his own age.
Toshiki and Rei are one of the few people who have been married in the last decades. Citing government figures, the FT said that about 32% of Japanese men and 24% of women have never married. The report also said that the annual number of marriages is half what it was in the 1970s.
low birth rate in Japan
In 2022, fewer than 800,000 children were born in Japan and the indigenous population declined by more than half a million. The ministry said the overall decline was the largest recorded since 1968 when government surveys began.
Effects of low birth rate in Japan
The low birth rate in Japan has a number of negative effects on the country, including:
An ageing population:
Japan has one of the oldest populations in the world, with a median age of 48.8 years in 2022. This is due to both the low birth rate and the high life expectancy in Japan. An ageing population puts a strain on the country’s healthcare system, social security system, and economy.
A shrinking workforce:
As the population ages, the workforce is shrinking. This is making it difficult for businesses to find workers and is also leading to a decline in economic growth.
A decline in tax revenue:
As the workforce shrinks and the population ages, there will be fewer people paying taxes. This will make it difficult for the government to fund essential services such as healthcare and education.
A loss of cultural vitality:
The low birth rate is also leading to a loss of cultural vitality in Japan. As the population ages and shrinks, there are fewer people to carry on traditional Japanese culture and traditions.
In addition to these general effects, the low birth rate is also having a number of specific impacts on Japanese society and culture. For example, the number of schools and hospitals in rural areas is declining, as is the number of small businesses.
The low birth rate is also leading to a decrease in the number of young people in Japanese cities, which is making them less vibrant and dynamic.
Govt. Efforts to reverse low birth rate in Japan
After Monaco, Japan has the second oldest population in the world. In January, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida warned that Japan was ‘on the brink of whether we can continue to function as a society.’
The Japanese government has been trying to address the low birth rate for many years, but it has not been successful so far. The government has implemented a number of policies to encourage couples to have more children, such as providing financial assistance for childcare and offering tax breaks for couples with children. However, these policies have not had a significant impact on the birth rate.
The low birth rate in Japan is a major challenge. It is important for the government to continue to address this issue, as it has a significant impact on the country’s future.
Please subscribe HERE for the latest news and interesting facts.
