Japan Press Weekly

Tweet

2024 June 5 - 11 TOP3 [SOCIAL ISSUES]

JCP Chair Tamura blames gov’t policies for record-low birthrate

The fertility rate in Japan, which indicates the estimated number of children a woman will have in her lifetime, hit a record low of 1.20 in 2023.

According to data released by the Health and Welfare Ministry on June 5, Japan’s birthrate has declined for eight consecutive years, and the rate in Tokyo was 0.99, dropping below 1.0 for the first time in Japan.

Japanese Communist Party Chair Tamura Tomoko, asked by reporters for her opinion on the record-low birthrate at a press conference held in the Diet building on the same day, said, “The LDP-led government policies are largely responsible for creating a situation where many people, despite hoping to get married and have children, are unable to do so due to financial constraints.”

Tamura prefaced her remarks by saying that the basic premise is that it is up to individuals to decide whether or not to marry and what kind of family they want to have, and then pointed out that such freedom of choice has been taken away in today’s Japan.

She said that people are aware that children’s fundamental human rights and dignity are not being protected, adding, “Many young people feel they cannot have and raise children with peace of mind. They are becoming increasingly anxious about what will happen to their children’s lives.”

Tamura noted that unstable non-regular employment is spreading among young people and that even after graduation from university, some are still paying back debts under the guise of scholarships. She stated that many young people are in a situation where they have difficulty in making future plans due to uncertainty in regard to job security.

She said, “As long as the LDP government continues to place heavy burdens, including education expenses, on the general public to raise children, Japan’s declining birthrate will continue.”