Ellerby 1

Briana Ellerby

Mr. Phillips

Ap Lang Period 3

14 December 2018

A Country’s Crisis: Japan’s Need for a Population Shift

What happens when a country fails to grow? On a football team, different roles belong to

different people. When someone does not block for the running back, then someone may have to

cover for the other person. But if that person cannot cover for both himself and the other person,

the team could lose. People run a country, and a country is run by people. With a growing

population, younger people are needed in the workforce to replace retirees, however if there is

not enough young people, a country's system begins to fail. Japan has suffered from a prolonged

population decline due to social stratifications. Women's social status has caused low fertility

rates, therefore there is a need for young adults to replace an overly populated group of retirees,

consequently affecting Japan's economy, prompting a necessity for aggressive policies to resolve

this problem. More policies need to be implemented to reverse Japan's drastic situation before it

is too late, thus the country simply cannot function anymore.

Japan's population has decreased due to low fertility rates. According to the Internal

Affairs and Communications Ministry, since 1968, Japan's population has decreased from, the

year before and is on an annual declining rate. According to Michael Richey, "The total fertility

rate (average number of babies a woman has over her lifetime) in Japan is 1.46"( Richey). A

problem has occurred, because the healthy fertility rate is 2.1 children per childbearing woman in

most countries. Above this number is a growing population and below this number is a shrinking

population. Because Japan's population is decreasing annually, "the number of births fell to a
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record low of 918,396, and deaths are outnumbering births for the eleventh consecutive

year"(Kyodo). Impaling Japan's economy, low birth rates and high population of elders, leave

not enough people in the workforce. In addition to the increase of life-expectancy, there is a

higher rate of the aging population. This leaves more work for the labor left.and a small young

adult population to replace the high population of retirees.

The life expectancy in Japan will continue to increase, leaving the average life

expectancy in the year 2025, as 85.5. Although it is grandiose that people are living longer, this

leaves fewer young people to do the work the country needs. According to Adam Walsh and

Phillippe Grenier "not only is Japan's population aging, it's shrinking. Because too few babies are

being born to replace the dying," the country has a labour shortage, and there will be jobs that no

one will be able to fill. Young people are outnumbered, thus have to sustain, the population

including the elderly. Long life expectancy becomes a problem, because there are not enough

enough young people to replace the elderly. Without having enough young adults in the

workforce the economy is on a damaging avalanche. The numbers of young people in the

workforce lacking, and the appropriate numbers of women are suffering.

Due to social stratifications and traditional gender roles, women are marrying late or not

at all in Japan, contributing to low fertility rates. For women in Japan, having children means

getting married and not working. Because marriage is still the most socially acceptable way to

have kids, it is unlikely for unmarried women to have children. Some people believe a woman's

place is at home, instead of in the workforce. These stratifications support "the promotion of

particular kinds of gender relations and household structures in Japan, since the postwar period."

(theconversation.com). Women have been constructed as an "absorber of economic and social

risks"(theconversation.com). For a woman to get involved in the workforce puts them at risk for
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discrimination and inequality. The social stratifications of marriage expectations can be

unpleasant for women, and causes an uninterest to get marriage or have children, or getting

involved in the workforce and it is taking a toll on the economy..

Despite the policies are made in favor the unethical gender roles,the employment rates of

women are increasing.In fact, according to the Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe,"the

employment rate of women is higher than that of the United States for those over 25". Also,

according to the Reality Check Team, "In 2016 Japan's overall female employment rate of 66.1%

was well over the OECD average of 59.4%.”However policies continue to halter the prosperity

for a women's success in the workforce."For women, marriage means financial security because

women are economically disadvantaged by social security and corporate policies that privilege

the male breadwinner household"(unknown). Therefore, women are more encouraged to settle

down, have children and play the role of the "housewife" to be financially stable. Adding to the

inequality, "in Japan women returning to work after child care leave often have their career path

suspended or demoted to lower positions"( Peguchi). Also according to Peguchi, "Pro-natalist

policies such as the provision of subsidised childcare and maternity leave have not extended to

allow for flexible or family-friendly work practices" (japantimes.co) and women who go on

maternity leave end up coming back to work in a demoted position or even without a job . Weak

policies do not help women in the workforce, instead discourage women not to join the

workforce therefore hurt the economy.

Japan's economy has suffered, because a "lower population means greater pressure on

Japan's GDP and wages" (Richey). In addition to the low fertility rates "fewer babies each year

means fewer workers and that translates into an insufficient tax base to pay for healthcare and

retirement costs for the growing number of elderly." (Walsh and Grenier) If there are not enough
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people working to sustain Japan's economy, this could be a detriment to Japan's ability to, trade

and simple support, their own citizens. Once the economy collapses- as history has shown- Japan

will not be able to compete with other dominant countries, leaving Japan vulnerable. Because

there is a lack of research on the development, and health of the population Japan is not

experienced enough to handle this situation, thus stronger unbiased policies are needed.

Many solutions are considered for treating Japan's low population. Shinzo Abe is the

prime minister for Japan, and some people think he has made it easier to raise children. .He has

provided free education and expanded nursery care, allowing fathers to take paternity leave.

Abe's approach has created controversy. Some think "Shinzo Abe's administration has been

criticized for not doing enough research"(Yakupitiyage). Takanobu Nakashima- a professor of

economics at Keto University- believes "Japan needs to thoroughly examine factors behind its

aging society to find solutions for population decline.” Nakashima agrees with the APDA that

"due to the lack of data around the issue, APDA highlighted the need to promote research to help

create and implement policies to ensure sustainable development and a stable, healthy

population". So, Japan needs to not only do more research on how to sustain a healthy population

and implement policies to execute these plans, but Japan simply needs "more babies". Katsubou

Kato's cabinet position is to "reverse the nations sliding birth rate " Kato's goal is to raise the

fertility rate to 1.8, closer to the healthy rate of 2.1. It is up to the government to implement

aggressive policies to make work environments less hostile and make it financially easier for

women to have babies. Women should not have to be dependent on their husbands, to support

themselves financially. The opinion of having children needs change, moreover women should

be encouraged to have children. Men need to be more open to changing work-heavy schedules

because "A 2015 cabinet office opinion poll displayed that women were willing to have more
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children if they had more help from their husbands"(Richey). Measures for low-fertility, a

gender-equal society, and work-life balance are three important pillars. Once women are having

more children, fertility rates will increase, and the population will increase. There will be enough

young adults in the workforce to replace those retired, and the economy will be sustained and

consistently able to support Japan and its people.

With a growing population younger people are needed in the workforce to replace

retirees, but if there is not enough young people, a country's system begins to fail. Japan is

suffering from a prolonged population decline due to social stratifications. The social status of

women in Japan has caused low fertility rates, resulting in the need for young adults to replace an

overly populated group of retirees. This has drastically affected Japan's economy, prompting a

necessity for stronger, and effective policies. Implementing more policies will reverse Japan's

drastic situation before it is too late and the country simply cannot function anymore.

Due to low fertility rates Japan's population has been on an annually decreasing rate.

Because of social stratifications, females are haltered, therefore swayed away from having

children. Because of this there is a necessity for young adults to replace an overly populated

group of retirees. Low fertility rates has caused the dire situation in the workforce, creating a

drastic economy. There needs to be aggressive policies implemented and a social change to save

this country full of culture and originality. With so many opportunities Japan can either become a

fallen empire, or strive as leaders of the world. Which is better?

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Works Cited

Adam Walsh and Phillippe Grenier: July 10,2018 “Japan’s Disappearing Village A Sign Of

Things To Come For Rural Japan”, Acessed December 1, 2018

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/disappearing-village-japan-1.4733910

Michael Richey: February 7, 2017 “Why Japan Will Lose 20 Million People By 2050”, Acessed

December 1, 2018

https://www.tofugu.com/japan/population-decline/
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Reality Check Team: February 17, 2018 “How Shinzo Abe’s Womenomics Worked In Japan”,

Acessed December 1, 2018

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-42993519

Takanobu Nakashima: July 12, 2018 “ Japan’s Population Decline At Fastest Pace Yet,

With

Only Tokyo Seeing Significant Growth”, Acessed December 1, 2018

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2018/07/12/national/japan-population-

declines-fastest

-pace-yet-125-2-million-government/#.XBL_CGhKjIU

Tharanga Yakupitiyage: April 2, 2018 ”Solving Japan’s Fertility Crisis” , Acessed December 1,

2018

http://www.globalissues.org/news/2018/04/02/24072

Unknown: May 21, 2018 “As Japan Undergoes Social Changes Single Women Are In The Firing

Lane”, Acessed December 1, 2018

http://theconversation.com/as-japan-undergoes-social-change-single-

women-are-in-the-firing-line-96636