Kishida says Japan is “on the brink” concerning the low birth rate
Sawako Utsumi and Sawako Uchida
Modern Tokyo Times
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida of Japan counseled that the country is “on the brink” concerning the declining birth rate. If not addressed, then Kishida says Japan will lose its capacity to function socially.
Kishida is stressing “on the brink” because it is estimated that fewer than 800,000 babies were born last year. Once confirmed, this will be the lowest number ever recorded.
However, the birth rate hit 1.5% in 1990. Thus, why does it take the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) – which mainly governed during this period – so much time to tackle this issue?
Kishida said, “We will consider how society as a whole can stably support children while making various efforts.”
Hence, it seems – similar to doubling the military defense budget – that the onus will be on corporate taxes, trimming the welfare budget, penalizing pensioners to pay more (hospital insurance increase to other angles), and so forth. After all, Kishida did not express how to finance the new planned economic support mechanisms.
Lee Jay Walker says, “Few people will disagree with Kishida that it is important to increase the birth rate. Yet it is difficult to trust a political party that knew about this issue over three decades ago. Also, how can Japan generate enough economic funds to boost the birthrate (similar to child-friendly policies in Hungary), double the military budget, implement new green initiatives that need funding, and provide adequate pensions and wages given the last few decades?”
Hence, with similar words mentioned by other politicians over a long period, it is difficult to take the LDP seriously even if Kishida can’t be blamed for past LDP leaders.
Also, with the debt ratio being the highest of any developed nation – and with Kishida wanting to double the military defense budget – where will the money come from to pay for serious financial schemes?
Kishida needs to provide adequate financial plans to fund child-rearing initiatives – similar to the dramatic policies implemented by Hungary – if not, it is difficult to believe.
The ruling party squandered the positive decades concerning tax revenues – and assisted nations all over the world. At home, the poor got poorer in recent decades related to static wages and the hike in consumption tax.
Last year – under Kishida – real wages declined by 3.8% concerning inflation.
https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.DYN.TFRT.IN?locations=JP
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