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Births in Japan hit record low as government warns crisis at ‘critical state’ (www.theguardian.com)

submitted 8 months ago by MicroWave@lemmy.world to c/worldnews@lemmy.world

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Birthrate continues to fall as young people increasingly reluctant to have children due to bleak job prospects, cost of living and work culture

The number of babies born in Japan last year fell for an eighth straight year to a new low, government data has shown, and a top official says it is critical for the country to reverse the trend in the coming half-dozen years.

The 758,631 babies born in Japan in 2023 were a 5.1% decline from the previous year, according to the Health and Welfare Ministry on Tuesday. It was the lowest number of births since Japan started compiling the statistics in 1899.

The number of marriages fell by 5.9% to 489,281 couples, falling below a half million for the first time in 90 years – one of the key reasons for the declining births. Out-of-wedlock births are rare in Japan because of family values based on a paternalistic tradition.

Surveys show that many younger Japanese balk at marrying or having families, discouraged by bleak job prospects, the high cost of living that rises at a faster pace than salaries and corporate cultures that are not compatible with having both parents work. Crying babies and children playing outside are increasingly considered a nuisance, and many young parents say they often feel isolated.

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[–] chatokun@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

I'd say some of us weebs work etc, but all the ones I know who do simply like Anime and arent obsessed with getting an Asian waifu or husbando. In fact, most I associate with are in long stable relationships already, and I've seen no evidence the others have such a preference.

My family and I do want to visit Japan, and one of my sisters lived there. Another of my sisters lived in Korea, and she found dating hard there because none of the men wanted a serious relationship, they just thought a black American girl would be kinky. They'd tell her they still want to marry another Korean, because no one would want to have mixed babies. Iirc she told me they specifically used [nword]babies.

So personally I especially wouldn't see myself living in such a racism country easily.