Birthrate continues to fall as young people increasingly reluctant to have children due to bleak job prospects, cost of living and work culture

Birthrate continues to fall as young people increasingly reluctant to have children due to bleak job prospects, cost of living and work culture

The number of babies born in Japan last year fell for an eighth straight year to a new low, government data has shown, and a top official says it is critical for the country to reverse the trend in the coming half-dozen years.

The 758,631 babies born in Japan in 2023 were a 5.1% decline from the previous year, according to the Health and Welfare Ministry on Tuesday. It was the lowest number of births since Japan started compiling the statistics in 1899.

The number of marriages fell by 5.9% to 489,281 couples, falling below a half million for the first time in 90 years – one of the key reasons for the declining births. Out-of-wedlock births are rare in Japan because of family values based on a paternalistic tradition.

Surveys show that many younger Japanese balk at marrying or having families, discouraged by bleak job prospects, the high cost of living that rises at a faster pace than salaries and corporate cultures that are not compatible with having both parents work. Crying babies and children playing outside are increasingly considered a nuisance, and many young parents say they often feel isolated.

  • Gigan@lemmy.worldEnglish
    229·
    9 months ago

    I would like humanity to continue, even if it means the next generation has to solve problems we created.

    • PeterPoopshit@lemmy.worldEnglish
      72·
      9 months ago

      We need to threaten to ruling class by refusing to have kids unless things improve. It’s the last nonviolent option there is. They can either actually do something about the out of control costs of living vs wages or humanity should die out completely.

      • Blue_Morpho@lemmy.worldEnglish
        3·
        9 months ago

        It’s not a choice of wage increase or extinction. It’s population decline makes labor more valuable. Like the black plague freed the serfs.

        Reduced population is a good thing and a new sustainable balance will be reached.

    • stoly@lemmy.worldEnglish
      3·
      9 months ago

      Why does humanity need to continue? Not being an ass, but I don’t get the moral panic around that.

      • BakerBagel@midwest.socialEnglish
        192·
        9 months ago

        So the whole origin of the birthrate collapse is that people can barely afford to survive on their own, dont have enough expendable income for dating to find a partner, and are so drained from working long hours that theu dont have the energy to look. There is a massive loneliness epidemic because capitalism has nothing left to consume but itself.

        • Bonskreeskreeskree@lemmy.worldEnglish
          54·
          9 months ago

          I’m well aware. But what is anyone doing about it? Nations have yet to acknowledge these issues as the cause and us bitching online isn’t doing anything.

          • the post of tom joad@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
            31·
            9 months ago

            revolutions spring from speeches, friend. its too easy to dismiss chatter as useless, but minds need to meet to share information, and introduce or reinforce ideas. the internet is perhaps the best “3rd place” there is to discuss shit what needs discussing.

            and theres cats

          • Ludrol@szmer.infoEnglish
            35·
            9 months ago

            Poland implemented 500+ program 7 years ago. 500 PLN(~100€) per month per child if you have more than one.

            It did not increase the birth rate.

            There are similar programs in UK, Germany, Lithuania and Belgium .

            • Bonskreeskreeskree@lemmy.worldEnglish
              7·
              9 months ago

              Because 100 euro a month is fucking nothing. Rents increase more than that each year lately. How much is daycare eqch month in poland?

                • Bonskreeskreeskree@lemmy.worldEnglish
                  2·
                  9 months ago

                  That’s surprisingly low. Even with its affordability, that leaves parents with an extra 40 euro a month after child care. What is that? A tank of fuel? The ruling class is so far out of touch

                  • Ludrol@szmer.infoEnglish
                    2·
                    9 months ago

                    In Warsaw 40€ is Regular ticket + Reduced ticket for all public transport for a month

            • BakerBagel@midwest.socialEnglish
              1·
              9 months ago

              That doesn’t address any of the other issues that are contributing to the problem though. The government can offer whatever miniscule child care support it wants: it makes no difference when people cant even get to the point that they are having relationships and even accidentally having kids.

      • Gigan@lemmy.worldEnglish
        810·
        9 months ago

        We are the only known intelligent life in the universe and that’s worth preserving, even if we’re not perfect. And unlike a meteor or supervolcano, humanity can learn and improve. And I think we are, hopefully we reach a point where we can live sustainably on earth before it’s too late.

        • the post of tom joad@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
          32·
          9 months ago

          i’m with you bro, and im a total misanthrope. I’ve developed a love/hate relationship with my species though, and i don’t blame most of us for the misery a scant few have created and continue to propagate. I wanna see us succeed, but insofar as making kids is concerned that’s not how i’ll contribute. Even the human act of having children has been commodified and leveraged against us. A human will put up with far more if he has a child at home to provide for after all.

          you’ll need to make up 2 extra kids for my wife and me, can you help us out? We wanted kids, but we looked around at the world, and we said uhhhh HARD no