What changes are needed in Japanese society to stop the falling birthrate?

Wednesday 07th May, 03:00 AM JST

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shibusawa at 05:37 PM JST - 8th May

Imprison the owner and workers of Condomania in Omotesando and turn the store into a free daycare.
Ah_so at 06:15 PM JST - 8th May

The costs of not having more children are so high that Japan cannot afford not to pay a bit more to at least get the birth rate back up.

A lot of the reasons given above, other than financial ones, are terribly modern - none that stopped my in-laws growing up in families of 6 and 7 children in the '50s.

However, costs are an enormous impediment in an already-expensive society. The state should bear the costs of birth and provide continual financial support to the age of 18 so that the costs of a child do not put parents off - remove the stick but do not provide a carrot.

Most couples do want children and usually they want more than one. Allow them to have them.
European1 at 12:30 AM JST - 9th May

GoJ will never get it!!! As some of you mentioned: 1. Free maternity cover, delivery, post delivery, 100% medical cost cover for child up to certain age (;ets say 18) I dont understand that in japan each city has different rules. In my country is free medical (insurance covers), free education, free maternity and birth etc. Japanese Government thing another way, give baby to obachan to bring up and parents send to work or bring more foreigners to fingerprint them and make dirty job but we dont want "hafu" etc. They concentrate on different things and have years long meetings going to nowhere, but ending with next bridge to nowhere. For this they have money, but not for medicare. Im sure it takes next couple of years before GoJ finishe meeting and get something out of it.
Nessie at 10:13 AM JST - 9th May

Lebensraum. Oops.
13akio13 at 01:41 PM JST - 9th May

Japan should not worry about falling birth rate. and we should not allow importing of other people into our country like America. We are the worlds leader it robotics. We do not want to become over populated like CHINA.
mechadamuramu at 02:59 PM JST - 11th May

Jerseyboy... I don't believe that anyone really thinks their life through that much, and thank you for the compliment, but most of society doesn't work towards a well defined "end" so to speak. I think that when people go childless on purpose, its in exchange for "control, freedom, and independence". No late nights bottle feeding, no soccer practice on Saturdays, no constraints hampering job-growth potential etc. A less than rosey childhood is a leading factor in not wanting to have children and I think that most people would agree that having no kids is better than raising bad ones.

This all assumes that there is an "inherent good" in having children (which is a very 1950s Western religious notion as MichaelJP points out). I want to have children in the future, but will gladly take the back seat and be the "stay at home dad" if my wife can make more money than me. If one person HAS to play the roll of money-maker and the other of home-maker than whomever makes the most money should keep their job and the other take care of the kid.

I think a lot of personal responsibility needs to be taken on the part of individuals if they want to raise children, and this obviously isn't happening.

Another solution is just hand out lots of monetary incentives to families so their quality of living doesn't decrease in an expensive society when they have children. Cost is almost 100% of the determinant of voluntary childbirth which is evident in the disparity in the birthrates of developing and modern countries. If you have nothing to spend money on except food like in a developing country, you might as well have more kids. However if you want your children to be successful in a modern society it takes a lot of time and money. So even if you are a good parent and want more kids you feel obligated to not have more than you can "take proper care of" i.e. afford.
illsayit at 09:01 PM JST - 11th May

The women need to move more in bed.

The costs have nothing whatsoever to do with it, btw.

and why do yous keep saying that free maternity coverage is needed? the govt has a reimbursement that covers the birthing bill, and whats with the 50s opinion that children are a inherent good, its still considered a inherent good now in the 21st century.
jpdrag0n at 02:22 PM JST - 12th May

yes what MichaelJP said awhile ago, Japan needs to focus on quality over quantity. i would hate to see japan become like the US. dont get me wrong, the 'melting pot' we call the US is a good model for integration and understanding between people but seeing japan become un-japanese would be a shame. look at roppongi...
pandachan at 12:00 AM JST - 13th May

Well, I don't really think they should make any changes. Japan doesn't need to become overpopulated like some countries. It would stress the economy to no end and where would you put everyone? ^.^
notimpressed at 11:37 AM JST - 13th May

Make the dead beat dads pay for thier children and enforce it, maybe they wouldn't run from thier families so quickly and actually make a go of it.

Health care and education subsidies exponential to the number of children.

Enforce the eight hour work day, and all overtime is paid, so that if you are away form your family slaving for your company( second family) your first family gets the benefit of it monetarily.

Better childcare facilities and support for mothers.

Im sure Im not the first to post any of this, expecially this next one, but theres to much to read right now, but definately, mothers need to baby thier sons less, and Fathers need to be more active in the raising of thier sons and in providing a positive role model, so that maybe the boys will grow up to be men, instead mummies boys, and not be afraid to pitch in and be there for thier spouse, even if it does require an effort when they are tired.

How about some better TV dramas with functional families in them, instead of unreal celebreties being the mainstay of media role models? Reality is that ordinary people settle down and have families, not waste tgier lives chasing stardom or fancy clothes and accessories.
notimpressed at 11:39 AM JST - 13th May

Of course that is provided that you really want to raise the birth rate. That relates to whether Japan wants toretain its economic world standing, or shrink in population and production ability. Nothing wrong with being an average country with a few less people if you are better for it, in the long haul.
buttan at 12:29 PM JST - 14th May

Clearly could write a novel about that question!!! lol
greensatindress at 10:07 AM JST - 15th May

You know this topic is starting to piss me off. I wish people would stop freaking out about population decline and low birth rate. As far as I can see, Japan needs to seriously shrink its population and come up with ways to prevent the population from migrating to Tokyo or Osaka.
Also, based on all the pregnant women waddling around and their spoiled little brats running amok everywhere, the birthrate doesn't seem to be a serious problem. 少子化大歓迎！
notimpressed at 04:11 PM JST - 15th May

greensatin: money is the only reason too keep the population level up. Otherwise, less people is a good thing. People have less babies because they want to, and because we dont need them perhaps. Maybe the whole world needs to make less babies, focus on quality rather than quantity.
Ivespoken at 08:29 AM JST - 21st June

"Japan should not worry about falling birth rate. and we should not allow importing of other people into our country like America. We are the worlds leader it robotics. We do not want to become over populated like CHINA." -13akio13

Not only do your comment sound ignorant, but discriminating, as well! If not for OUR (USA's) western influence on Japan's society you guys wouldn't be the "world's leader in robotics". And with China's vast lands it's okay for them to have the amount of people there. If anything Japan should be worrying about their own over population (and don't blame the 'gaijin's") especially considering how tiny your little island is.