"Japan is what the rest of the world should become, not the condition to avoid." > Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s recent speech to parliament brought Japan’s d

"Japan is what the rest of the world should become, not the condition to avoid." > Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s recent speech to parliament brought Japan’s dropping birthrate into sharp relief. It’s “now or never” to address the nation’s population decline, he said in the 45 minute speech, adding that “Japan is standing on the verge of whether we can continue to function as a society.” > The difficulties of balancing work and family life is another significant factor in Japan’s low birth rate. In the industrialized world, Japan has some of the greatest working hours and fewest vacation days, making it difficult for parents to raise kids and have a full-time job. Additionally, there aren’t many affordable childcare options, which discourages people from having kids. > Japan is ranked one of the world’s most expensive places to raise a child. Housing prices and education costs are particularly high, which can make it difficult for families to afford children. Japan’s high cost of living, limited space, and lack of city-based child care services make it challenging to raise kids, which results in fewer couples having kids. The declining marriage rate, financial strain, childcare load, later childbearing, and infertility are also some of the variables influencing Japan’s declining birthrate. https://thegeopolitics.com/japans-demographic-dilemma-the-challenge-of-a-declining-birth-rate/#:~:text=In%20summary%2C%20individualism%20has%20contributed,in%20Japan's%20low%20birth%20rate https://thegeopolitics.com/japans-demographic-dilemma-the-ch.... > Despite noticeably decreasing suicide numbers over the past decade, Japan still has one of the highest suicide rates among high-income OECD countries. Historically, Japan’s above-average suicide rates have been closely linked to the economic situation of the country. https://www.statista.com/topics/5259/suicide-in-japan/#topicOverview https://www.statista.com/topics/5259/suicide-in-japan/#topic...