The birth rate in Japan reached a record low for the eighth consecutive year on Wednesday, prompting the health ministry to label the situation as “critical” and the government to take steps to strengthen parental assistance.
Japan’s birth rate, or the average number of children a woman is projected to have in her lifetime, was 1.20 last year, according to data issued by the ministry. This is much less than the 2.1 children required to maintain the population.
The 124 million-person nation saw its ninth consecutive year of fall in GDP, which was down from 1.26 in 2022.
“The continuing decline in the birth rate is a critical situation,” a health ministry official in charge of the data told AFP.
“Various factors, such as economic instability and difficulties in juggling work and child-rearing,” can be blamed for the falling figures, she said.
In affluent nations, declining birth rates are a frequent tendency. Japan’s rate is nevertheless higher than that of its neighbor, South Korea, which has the lowest birth rate in the world (0.72).
But with the second-oldest population in the world, behind Monaco, Japan is desperately trying to spark a baby boom in order to prevent an impending demographic crisis.
On Wednesday, the Parliament passed changes to the legislation that will increase parental leave benefits, improve access to childcare facilities, and give parents greater financial help.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has emphasized the need to increase birth rates as a pressing threat to Japanese society, and this was the government’s most recent attempt to do so.
A dating app created by the city of Tokyo will be released as early as this summer, as part of Japan’s efforts to increase the birth rate.
Users will need to sign a letter declaring their willingness to be married and provide evidence demonstrating they are single legally.
While declaring one’s income on dating apps is customary in Japan, Tokyo will need a tax certificate slip as proof of an applicant’s yearly income.
The program, which has been in free test mode since late last year, will also require an interview to verify a user’s identity during the signup process.
