Countermeasures to Japan's declining birthrate: history, current situation and problems
Asian Education and Development Studies
ISSN: 2046-3162
Article publication date: 28 October 2020
Issue publication date: 3 January 2022
Abstract
Purpose
Since 1974, Japan's total fertility rate has been constantly below replacement level. The purpose of this paper is to focus on Japan's low fertility issue and countermeasures that were adopted, in order to explore the reasons why the countermeasures were unable to solve the problem?
Design/methodology/approach
The paper analyzes both the historical changes and the current situation of Japan's countermeasures. It also focuses on how in Japan marriage behavior and couples' fertility behavior changed during the implementation of the countermeasures from both objective and subjective perspectives. Based on results of the analysis, the paper explores the inherent problems regarding the countermeasures.
Findings
The paper shows that there is no sign that Japan's low fertility could be overcome, and puts forward three problems regarding the countermeasures. The paper suggests paying greater attention to the contradictions in the current policies and to go beyond the field of family policy and population policy to consider the following questions from a more macro perspective: (1) how to make fertility more desirable and meaningful and (2) how to encourage the related social systems to promote people's spontaneity both in marriage and childbearing.
Originality/value
The paper uses the latest data and focuses on analyzing the countermeasures from a more macro perspective rather than discussing specific problems of the countermeasures. Based on both objective data and subjective views and, given the characteristics of Japanese society, the paper explores in depth the problems regarding the countermeasures. By improving empirical knowledge, the paper seeks to contribute more generally to low fertility countries' “fertility revival”.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This paper is the phased achievement of China's national social science fund project (17BRK022). It is based on the presentation at the 2018 Annual Meeting of China Population Association which held on Dec. 16th, 2018. In the process of writing and revising, this paper has received many times of detailed guidance from Prof. ZhouYun (Peking University) and get comments and suggestions from Prof. Edward Jow-Ching Tu (The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology), Prof. Li Jianxin (Peking University) and reviewers. Thanks for all the help.
Citation
Nishimura, T. (2022), "Countermeasures to Japan's declining birthrate: history, current situation and problems", Asian Education and Development Studies, Vol. 11 No. 1, pp. 141-158. https://doi.org/10.1108/AEDS-07-2020-0158
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited