Published: Less than 30 min ago
Japan’s prime minister’s advisers are worried that society could collapse if the country does not overcome the large birth deficit.
Masako Mori, advisor to Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, is concerned that too few children are being born in the country. At the end of February, a record low figure was reported. 800,000 children were born while 1.58 million people died in the country.
– If we continue like this, the country will disappear, she says.
– It is not falling gradually, it is heading straight down, she continues.
Since 2008, the population has decreased by more than 3.4 million people, down to 124.6 million. The proportion who are over 65 has risen to 29 percent. Mori, who advises Kishida on both LGBTQ issues and childbearing, worries about far-reaching consequences, with the social security system collapsing, the economy falling and not having enough recruits for the self-defense forces.
– This plunge means that children born now are thrown into a society that becomes distorted, shrinks and loses its ability to function.
Certain measures have been presented, among other things Kishida has mentioned increased child allowances, improved childcare and changed working methods.