In yet another event drawing attention to Japan’s demographic issues, the country is about to see an all-time low number of births and marriages by 2023, which can only suggest anxiety about what its future will be like. The declining birthrate, combined with a decreasing population, has given rise to a gloomy prophecy made by Tesla CEO Elon Musk in which he warns: “If something doesn’t change, Japan will vanish.”
Over the course of 2023, Japan registered only 758,631 births, representing a 5.1% decrease compared to last year. This trend is also evident in the decrease of marriages, which dropped by 5.9% to 489,281. Both of these figures, standing at their lowest levels in 90 years, indicate how urgently the depopulation issue needs to be addressed.
The seriousness of the situation is well appreciated by the Japanese Government, and they have promised to put in place “never-seen-before measures” that would stop the birthrate from sliding. Among the measures are enhancing child care services and motivating increased salaries among the young staff members.
The severity of the matter was underscored by Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, who said that the next six years are critical for reversing the trend before the number of young people rapidly drops. Recognizing the gravity of the situation, Prime Minister Masako Mori issued a warning that a declining birthrate will result in a deformed and contracting society.
The poor job prospects for the younger generation are one of the main causes of the drop in weddings and births. Couples are further dissuaded from starting families by rising healthcare expenditures, education prices, and living expenses.
Although the government has implemented a number of programs to encourage marriage and birth rates, analysts question their efficacy. Rather than addressing the problems of the younger population, many of these plans are perceived as being directed towards married couples.
To secure Japan’s sustainability in the future, creative and urgent solutions to the country’s demographic concerns are needed. Reversing this alarming trend would require addressing the underlying causes of the dropping birthrate and fostering a supportive environment for young couples.
