Many have their hands-full with their own life and quit having kids
rather than adding more responsibilities on their plate.
If you wait, you can work longer and that's why childbirth gets delayed
Hi guys and girls on Ask Japanese. You guys asked us
why is the birthrate in Japan so
much rapidly declining compared to other countries. Japan right now has a
super aging society and not that many kids. Schools are closing. We wanna find out
how and why and gonna go and ask Japanese girls about it. Let's hit the streets of Tokyo and ask Japanese girls
In Japan there are less children,
have you noticed? - Yes it's now less than 9,000,000
The birth rate has dropped. It's hard to raise kids in Japan
Many waver now.
What is so hard about having kids? - Making a living
having enough money to raise one child and
being able to raise the child and still make enough
money to keep living. Can we really earn enough?
Right now I think it's tough in Japan. - The salary is lower
and that's why there isn't enough cash to have kids? - True.
If a woman get's pregnant saying "it's ok we have the money"
is not an option for some. That makes it hard. - It's not like
it's hard to marry. The housing isn't horrendously high.
But ... recently I am job hunting you see
I was surprised...
all the years I spend in university have nothing to do with my job
I mean anyone who can talk could do a job like that.
There was a job like that. Training new recruits
seems to be tough, and finding people that match a company
takes time to get so they can flourish from that.
Seeing that...
That might lead to the issues she mentioned
There isn't enough money to spend on kids.
I think the current society plays a role too.
And then, being honest, individualism
is a new trend in Japan.
Many feel like they can't get help with their issues from others.
Society makes them feel like they have to do everything by themselves.
And since they have their hands-full with their own life
they quit having kids and adding more responsibilities.
I think many think like that. Yet some people just blame it all
"on the bad women who won't have kids"
I mean who do they think they are to judge that! - True
The situation of the generations have changed so much in Japan
Are you ok the bike noise isn't too loud? Ok let's go on.
Now you personally, what do you think
the country should do? - Paying the high birthing
fees. That would be great.
Is it quite expensive to give birth?
What? - The surgery and similar
giving birth costs a lot of money.
I wish Japan would support mothers.
Is it quite expensive? - Yeah...
I heard that there is a "painless delivery" option now
because it's painless it's not save though.
I wish they could make things like that more safe
and similar. - Japan right now struggles with
caretakers for the elderly and kids. The generations before
have to be supported by us. So many can't also raise kids while caretaking
And those numbers rise. So Japan should spend more money on
having more facilities for care taking.
If we had that things could go better.
Don't just spend money on the elderly but also on this generation
that everyone looks at right now. We need more support.
So if you needed to work to finance the kids, you can have a
kindergarten. - Japan spends a lot on caretaking
and kids get neglected. I think that's the wrong choice.
We need to change that. Of course our parents and the generation
before also needs help but
we all need extra help. If we could cover these areas better
more families would think they have enough time and money for kids
I think. - I heard that in Japan
babysitters are not a common thing in Japan.
Recently some Instagramers started recruiting babysitters.
By talking about it they promote that it's ok to have babysitters
I hope that will lead to more kindergartens
and the amount of babysitters. Not sure if people dare to
use it. Small numbers for now. Maybe over the next years
it will become popular.
The population in my city shrunk from 50,000 to 40,000
That's a lot. - In 2 years. - In only 2 years?! - When I visit my family
I can only see old people. No kids are playing
You can't play ball games at parks anymore either.
You don't see kids playing anymore
My neighborhood school closed. - What is the reason
for this? - People marry too late and get kids too late
What do you think? - The older you get the harder it is to have kids.
So some can't have kids. - Because they waited?
I think so. Work is number one. - I think it's all the work's fault
Some think if they wait, they can work longer
and that's why childbirth gets delayed.
Do you want kids in the future or not at all
or you're thinking about it. - I want some - How many?
Ideally 2 - Two - I don't need any
Why do you want or not want them?
Because it's harder to get a divorce if there are kids.
I want to leave something behind.
That things do not end with me.
I want to leave my genetics behind and show gratitude to my parents.
I am not sure if I could look after them properly
and that's why I think I will opt out. - Are you working?
Do you think you could raise kids with your current salary?
No - No - Not at all.
Abroad single parents are common but not so much in Japan
like having a single mother or father raise you. Like me.
Have you seen a single mum in Japan? - My mum is!
Hey! - Many of my friends have single parents
My mum is a single mom too. - Hey right so in Japan
I heard that is SUPER hard. How is it really?
The kids medical fees won't be charged to the mothers
How about you? - I didn't know the government helped us at all
If one of your parents earns too much, you don't get that support
apparently. So my mum had to work harder
to pass it. I also had grandparents to help out.
What do you think Japan has to change for the better?
In the working space...
I know it's possible now to take it, but maybe make it easier to
take maternity leave. Create a society in which that's ok
right now it's hard. I wish that would change. - Waiting lists for
for kindergarten slots are too big. Why don't they
allow a longer maternity leave then? What to do with the kids
and lost salary? I wish we had more help there.
Now girls can work now, but they also HAVE to work
is a thing I heard recently more and more. In the old days the guys were earing
a little bit more and the boys were like "I want to support my family I want to be the
sole breadwinner and support my family" but now they don't
earn quite enough to do that. The women can work now but they also have to work
but since there is a little amount of kindergartens of babysitters and extra support
to help the families, a lot of weight falls on that young couple and many are
worried that they might not be able to make do
with the extra costs. Many good schools here are privatized, and then the extra costs for
the school money and uniforms. It's a lot of money and many parents have to save up
very early in order to make it able for their kids to go to university.
A lot of money goes into play once you have kids in Japan because OMG
the university fees here are very high. I mean I come from Germany, it's for free but still...
It's a heavy burden on the girls and they said they are worried that they might not be able
to make do. Interesting though that there are some single mothers
this is the first time I heard anyone around me that there are single mothers who
raising kids. Actually the 2nd time. The first time was one of my friends
and I could see they were struggling to make do because there wasn't the extra income
and ... it's not easy in Japan. I know absolutely
no one around me who is a single mother in Japan at this point in time.
And all the people are know, also the Western girls I know say "I don't think I can
afford having a kid here right now, I don't know where I would have enough money to raise child"
That's a big issue right now. Let us know what you're thinking
about this topic, Looking forward to seeing some interesting comment if you can. Don't forget
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