Tokyo is in a race against time to find some way to increase births in the “super-aged” society.
Japan’s population is in freefall, with fewer babies born, more elderly in the workforce, and a shrinking number of residents overall.
The country faces a demographic crisis that policymakers fear threatens its economy and social welfare systems, with the Secretary of the Japanese Cabinet, Yoshimasa Hayashi, warning the country only has until the 2030s to reverse the country’s plummeting birth rate.
Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications did not immediately respond to a written request for comment.
“Japan is addressing its population decline through child-rearing policies, digitalization, and work-style reforms, aiming to enable more women and elderly citizens to contribute actively to society and the economy”, Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs assistant press secretary Masashi Mizobuchi told Newsweek.
Below are the three main issues Tokyo is having to deal with.
