Essay from other modules (JS1101)

This essay is the individual research paper for Introduction to Japanese Studies [JS1101], written entirely by me.)

Low Birth Rate in Japan

 Perhaps, the hottest media phrase in Japan back in 1990 would be '1.57 Shock' which indicated the unprecedentedly low fertility rate : 1.57 lifetime births per woman (Atoh, 2003). After the '1.57 shock' in 1990, the government in Japan tried to come up with the policies to tackle the low birth rate, but they did not seem to have alleviated the situation much afterwards, with the Total Fertility Rate of 1.43 in 2013 (JAPANTODAY, 2013). If the low birth rate continues, the working generation will be shrunk in future. This will lead to various problems, such as insufficient men to work for maintaining the nation's economic progress.

Reasons for Low Birth Rate

 1) The statistics showed that, for women who gave birth for the first time, approximately 67% of them are out of job after half a year (Kyoudousyakai Chousakekka). The working environment in Japan seems to make it very difficult for women to work and raise her child simultaneously.

2) The cost of raising a child is also a critical factor which contributed to the low birth rate in Japan.

·         According to the survey conducted by KouShouRouDouSyou, 70% responded that the reason for not having the number of children they want is because of the high cost that they could not afford. For example, it costs nearly  ¥20,000,000 (S$ 234,000) for education from the kindergarten to the university.

·         According to the White Paper in 2008, the monthly cost of education is ¥41,000, which is equal to 11.9% of the entire living expenses of the household.  Moreover, the cost of the education has been increasing.

3) The statistics from Koyoukintou(2011) shows that the number of hours husbands in Japan are committed to doing the house work (washing, cleaning the house, or gardening etc) when the wives are working and when the wives are not working showed little difference ; in both cases, it was below 1 hour. This indicates that the wives in Japan are doing most of the housework without significant help from their husbands. On top of the housework, wives in Japan also have to take care of their child's education, and this goes to show why they do not wish to increase the number of children due to too heavy a burden.

Current measures taken by Japanese Government and the limitation of them

 On 19 April 2013, Prime Minister Abe made the announcement that  children leave will be extended from 1 year to 3 years. However, I feel that the problem is not the period of children leave, but it is whether they can take it or not. Even when one is qualified to take the children leave, not all of them are able to take it comfortably.

·         According to the statistics given by Kousyouroudousyou in 2012, percentage of women who took the children leave is 83.6% which is considerably high. However, this number is not accurate because the denominator is extremely limited in the sense that they failed to take into consideration of those women who have not been working while they are pregnant, or who are freelance or  who work in house or who have been even working but not qualified to take the children leave. In fact, the survey showed that only 13.2% of women feel comfortable to take the children leave (Kyoudousyakai Syousikataisaku, 2009). Even those who are actually qualified to take the leave, they cannot take it because it would be difficult to again go back to the work or difficult to take because the companies for which they have been working for lack workforce. Those whose positions after the leave are guaranteed are mostly full-time employee or  permanent employee in the company or the government employee, and most of the time, women have to either give up the position they have been taking or just leave the company. As mentioned earlier, the cost of living and education is increasing and it would not be easy for the couple to raise a child without  both working.

Conclusion

  As mentioned earlier, low birth rate is a serious social problem that needs to be alleviated as much as possible. It is the first few years after the child was born that women need to take special care. The working environment should be also changed so that women can continue their career even after they take the leave.

Reference

·         Atoh. M , Akachi. M (2003) "Low Fertility and Family Policy in Japan"

Retrieved from:

 http://www.ipss.go.jp/webj-ad/webjournal.files/population/2003_6/1.Atoh.pdf

·         JAPANTODAY (2014) "Japan's fertility rate rise to 1.43 in 2014"

Retrieved from:

http://www.japantoday.com/category/national/view/japans-fertility-rate-rises-to-1-43-in-2013

·         Kyoudousyakai Seisakutoukatsukan - chousakekka (Survey Result)

(last assessed on 24/10/2014)

Retrieved from:

http://www8.cao.go.jp/shoushi/cyousa/cyousa20/ikou/2_2_04.html

·         Japan Institution of Life Insurance (last assessed on 24/10/2014)

Retrieved from:

http://www.jili.or.jp/lifeplan/lifeevent/birth/5.html

·         Hataraku zyoseino jitsuzyou (current statistics about women who are working)

Retrieved from:

http://www.mhlw.go.jp/bunya/koyoukintou/josei-jitsujo/dl/11gaiyou.pdf (2011, page 12)

·         Hakusyo (2008) - White paper

Retrieved from :

 http://www5.cao.go.jp/seikatsu/whitepaper/h20/10_pdf/01_honpen/