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Japanese gov't wants to give people an extra ¥80,000 to have babies

124 Comments
By Casey Baseel, SoraNews24

Japan has been struggling to find ways to increase its low and declining birth rate for some time now, and the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare is hoping that the promise of some extra cash in the bank will encourage more people to add a baby to their family.

Currently, new parents in Japan receive a Childbirth and Childcare Lump-Sum Grant of 420,000 yen upon the birth of their child. Health, Labor and Welfare Minister Katsunobu Kato wants to up that amount to an even 500,000 yen, and met with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida last week to discuss the proposal, which is expected to be approved and put into effect for the 2023 fiscal year, which starts in the spring.

However, while such an increase in the grant amount isn’t likely to make anyone less motivated to have children, it may not be all that effective of an incentive either. Though it’s called the Childbirth and Childcare Lump-Sum Grant, little, if any, of it is left over after the “Childbirth” part. Though the grant is funded through Japan’s public medical insurance system, child delivery expenses are paid out of pocket, and according to Mainichi Shimbun the nationwide average for delivery costs is approximately 473,000 yen.

That means that even if the grant is increased, parents would be looking at, on average, less than 30,000 yen of it remaining once they’re home from the hospital, or less than the amount Asahi Breweries is gifting workers to eat out this holiday season. That’s not going to go very far against the total costs of raising a child to self-sufficient adulthood, and it’s doubtful in the first place that an 80,000-yen boost is going to cross over anyone’s make-it-or-break-it point for having a baby.

Yes, it is true that cautious attitudes about being able to financially provide for one’s children are a detriment towards childbirth in Japan. The core issue, though, tends to be a lack of confidence by could-be parents in their ability to earn enough to support their family while also maintaining a happy and fulfilling balance between work and private life during the many years over which their kid will be growing up.

That’s a tough tightrope to walk in Japanese society, and worries about being able to do it are a much bigger contributing factor to the low birth rate than coming up with the cash to pay for the baby’s delivery.

All that said, a little extra cash as the family expands is something, in and of itself, that new parents would be thankful for, and the 80,000-yen boost would be the largest increase ever for the Childbirth and Childcare Lump-Sum Grant, and its first since 2009.

Sources: 47 News via Jin, Mainichi Shimbun via Hachima Kiko

Read more stories from SoraNews24.

-- 6 surprising things about having a baby in Japan

-- Japanese government to start giving newlywed couples a wedding gift of 600,000 yen

-- Tokyo’s latest plan to boost birth rate: Pay people 100,000 yen per baby they give birth to

© SoraNews24

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

124 Comments
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Ridiculous!

Parents would go for extra 80,000 Yen if the baby was already on the floor but would never think of setting one for that.

23 ( +31 / -8 )

The cost of having children is literally $100,000s.

35 ( +37 / -2 )

Wow!

80000 yen?

I can’t even buy a cat or a dog in a pet shop for 80000 yen.

A marked failure for J government social engineering then.

35 ( +45 / -10 )

The fact that we have ‘universal’ healthcare that doesn’t cover something as essential as childbirth is absolutely ridiculous. Also, the lump sum doesn’t leave anything leftover at all. Every single doctor visit related to childbirth is paid out of pocket as well, not just that actual procedure.

20 ( +29 / -9 )

What people need to have babies is a to have an optimistic view about the future. With public finance in their current state the future is quite dark. This measure will further worsen public finance and as a result will not help a bit.

 

What this country need is deep reforms to

build a more positive future. Hard to imagine when looking at the age of people

in charge in this country.

32 ( +36 / -4 )

First revise the Japanese education business scam. Everything about this educational system is created so that some parties earn big bucks. If it isn't the obligatory uniform, than its the cram schools which without make it close to impossible to enter a proper university. Public universities are a dime a dozen with ridiculous entrance exams, and the private universities cost up to 1.5 million a year, which Japanese parents feel obligated to pay for. This government is blind l, stupid and deaf,..the whole baby to junior high school part is not what is worrying young parents....it's the part after that.

17 ( +22 / -5 )

No thanks..

You can give me ¥100million and I would never do it, not even crazy..

I can’t even buy a cat or a dog in a pet shop for 80000 yen.

Wrong, friends are not bought, they are ADOPTED..

-1 ( +15 / -16 )

In Australia, back in 2005, there was a 5,000 AU$ bonus for a new born. The biggest household goods retailer, Harvey Norman, noticed a big uptick in sales of plasma TV sets (then top of technology).

That is where the money went - on TVs, the whole goverment initiative was mocked as a "Plasma TV bonus".

16 ( +22 / -6 )

Let me guess. This was decided by a committee made up of rich/well-to-do men.

19 ( +26 / -7 )

I guess Premium Friday didn't work.

16 ( +25 / -9 )

The fact that we have ‘universal’ healthcare that doesn’t cover something as essential as childbirth is absolutely ridiculous.

Both my kids births were covered by Japanese health care. I didn't pay anything.

3 ( +19 / -16 )

In Australia, back in 2005, there was a 5,000 AU$ bonus for a new born. The biggest household goods retailer, Harvey Norman, noticed a big uptick in sales of plasma TV sets (then top of technology).

That is where the money went - on TVs, the whole goverment initiative was mocked as a "Plasma TV bonus.

Bogan Christmas.

-6 ( +6 / -12 )

Might want to consider, obviously after an expert panel of 70yo old men considering the problem for a year, and avoiding the actual problem of life quality? If people have life quality then companies loose control. And that is unacceptable. Next thing is they can wear two swards on their belt, we can’t have people feeling like they control their own lives. Totally unacceptable.

0 ( +10 / -10 )

how about don't raise taxes and make companies give employees time off so they can MAKE babies?

15 ( +20 / -5 )

If it is for the money, then parents need additional monthly stipend and child care arrangements. Do not fall in the trap.

7 ( +9 / -2 )

It's an excellent move and will certainly increase Japan's brth rate! But why does Japan Today place a European baby together with the headline to this article of news? Surely Japanese birth rate has not fallen to such a dramatic degree?

-17 ( +3 / -20 )

80k ?! Is this a joke?!

Unbelievable!!!!!

1 ( +12 / -11 )

That's enough for my monthly beer run but not enough for baby milk.

11 ( +16 / -5 )

the nationwide average for delivery costs is approximately 473,000 yen

Wow, we paid that for child #3 in 2012, but the clinic reception said it was a near all-time record. That was for a birth at 5am (extra) on Saturday (extra) and staying in a private room (extra) with a shower (extra) so me and our first two kids could stay too. The baby had jaundice (very common), so we stayed an extra day, which also cost extra.

We got 350,000 back from our town, so the net result was the same price as me and the other kids staying nearby in a hotel. The clinic was near the sea and it was the summer holidays, so I took the older kids to the beach every day.

Some maternity clinics are like hotels with French food, hairdressers, and manicurists. This will bump up the average cost. I didn't think it would be nearly 500,000 yen though. Many women give birth in general hospitals and they are basic with no pampering, but way more medical support in case of complications.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

Truly a bad idea in an already grossly over -populated country.

-20 ( +2 / -22 )

How sad,

It's NOT about money, and $ wont do it, it's about loving the family life style and wanting to have one.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

How about allowing CHILD SUPPORT payments to be Tax Deductible instead of paying 80,000jpy to have one then drop them in a hole on their own.

8 ( +9 / -1 )

80k ?! Is this a joke?!

Yes, A bad joke.

They really want more children.

Pay upfront all cost for prenatal care, and giving birth.

Pay all cost for infertility treatments not just the approx 3 time if egg extraction is done and reimbursement is filled.

Permit both sperm and egg donation and let it be anonymous and pay for it.

Permit surrogacy and registering the parents not the surrogate as the mother.

Lastly make it easy and help finance adoption locally and internationally removing the silly age limits.

We go through this smoke and mirrors dance every year if government silly "plans" 30 years now everything has failed because it it the same proposal every year a few thousand yen.

Oh and l know all this very personally.

I also know well over a dozen Japanese couples struggling to have children under the financial burden of IVF treatments some even taking out loans to pay for it.

Others paying tens of millions to go to Taiwan to pay for treatment there where egg donation is permitted.

(donation is a bit of a stretch no idea if they pay the woman for their eggs but the recipient pays about ¥1 million a try not a success but each attempt).

Things have gotten so desperate that now in Japan an unofficial (I suspect illegal) network of doctors are quietly defying the government rules and arranging egg donation in Japan but the cost are exorbitantly high.

2 ( +11 / -9 )

French food, hairdressers, and manicurists. This will bump up the average cost. I didn't think it would be nearly 500,000 yen though. Many women give birth in general hospitals and they are basic with no pampering, but way more medical support in case of complications.

The out of pocket cost is highly dependant on the income of the parent whose medical insurance is used, many people don’t know it. It’s best to use the insurance of the lower earner to minimize payment. Also if c-section is used, it’s covered as a medical procedure, giving birth the other way is not.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

¥80,000 The government think about this, for a new tax payer when the Government has already mandated a yearly tax on citizens way above ¥80,000. They pay more for a “counter strike rocket” than a child, and expect that child to generate money they can spend on more rockets, that are never used.

2 ( +8 / -6 )

Make it ¥80,000 per month, and fund it with a 'bachelor tax' on the childless. The demographic collapse is Japan's greatest threat.

0 ( +7 / -7 )

The out of pocket cost is highly dependant on the income of the parent whose medical insurance is used, many people don’t know it. It’s best to use the insurance of the lower earner to minimize payment. Also if c-section is used, it’s covered as a medical procedure, giving birth the other way is not.

What are you talking about?

The shakaihoke and kokuminhoken do not cover the cost of child birth or prenatal care with the exception of a few ultrasounds and blood test.

C sections are considered a medical treatment therefore covered but unlike many western countries you cannot request a C section it must be medically necessary.

So low or high income you are paying the full bill just probably one of the two is using a nicer hospital.

0 ( +7 / -7 )

80,000 yen is not enough to feed the children at all. Japanese people need to stop growing the low and declining birthrate to develop their beautiful country. Minister of health, labor and welfare is not doing great actually.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

I'd love to know the calculations behind this decision.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Both my kids births were covered by Japanese health care. I didn't pay anything.

Same for our youngest additions.

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

Well, everyone knows that's EXACTLY what it costs to raise a child from birth (and including costs incurred to have a baby) until they become independent adults, so it's a real deal!

Here's a couple of good ideas that MIGHT get people spending more. 1) make having a baby covered under health care (without it requiring surgery). Better yet, make it free. 2) Bring back the family tax credits that you eliminated in favor of giving every citizen of Japan ¥10,000. I'll even give back the ¥10,000 yen if you do. 3) Instead of investing trillions upon trillions in defense of a future that won't exist without said babies, maybe spend some of that on social welfare and education, including daycare centers that are lower-cost or free, so that people can work to PAY their taxes. 4) Instead of making laws banning kids from playing in parks because it creates "too much noise" for elderly who want to nap after their one-cup Ozeki are done, create more spaces to foster growth.

But nah... Just like when they cut family tax and other family benefits, places like Osaka will pay you a pittance to have a child that will end up costing you 100 million times more, and for what? So, that child comes out already ¥15M in debt so we can buy more weapons and make fighter no one asked for? So they can grow up to work 100 hours of overtime and barely make enough to live? No, thank you.

4 ( +12 / -8 )

Sorry, might get people more interested in having more (babies)... not "spending more".

2 ( +3 / -1 )

It’s not enough.

Making school education free, subsidizing school uniforms, tax breaks for both parents, reduction in health care/pension costs would all go towards easing the burden on parents.

There has to be help throughout the parenting process not just the easy part of having a baby, the costs just go up as they get older-if Japan wants more babies they have to do more to help families for the long term..

8 ( +9 / -1 )

Long-term or permanent solutions never seem to be a topic discussed during these parliament sessions.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

These idiots know that Japans child birth rate is going backwards and picking up speed yet their short arms and long pockets attitude is the real problem. Yesterday they hitting us up for more taxes yet allow the wealthy to contribute zero. On top of that they asking us to cut back on heating which the minimum wage earner can’t even afford. If I was a young Japanese man I not stay in Japan. There is little future only for the privileged.

2 ( +9 / -7 )

As we have seen the trends...parents accidentally or intentionally murdering there babies/children is on the JT articles ever other days so that being said as optimistics I want to be I can only see them using this as an advatadge of getting some extran money and then ditching there children. What Japan needs to do is educate the young padwans on how to cherish and love there children and throw them in a dumpster after birth before handing out free money.

-8 ( +0 / -8 )

Low birth rate - a legacy of Junichiro Koizumi.

To suck up to Americans, he established so called "flexible work force", not jobs for life.

The result, the men in such jobs, contracts and temporary, can not marry, no woman wants them.

There could be 20 million "working poor" like that in Japan.

6 ( +14 / -8 )

Doesn’t even cover half the cost of delivering the baby - unless you have to have a c-section which makes it significantly cheaper.

Education - might just about cover the cost of a school bag (randoseru) or maybe a single school uniform. High school in Tokyo costs about 1 million yen a year. You’ll need to pay for Juku if you want to get them into a decent uni, plus the cost of uni.

This kind of single, one off payment is going to make no difference whatsoever.

4 ( +7 / -3 )

That might be enough extra to pay for the measles, mumps, rubella jabs plus the boosters and some diapers. Just if people don’t care about their own health, I doubt they will care about the health of their children and will just pocket the money.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Should be an annual tax credit per child. One time payment is a joke.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

the costs just go up as they get older

Give that brother/sister an amen!

Babies are cheap and cute. Older kids are expensive and well, not as cute.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

"Wow!

80000 yen?

I can’t even buy a cat or a dog in a pet shop for 80000 yen." That's on top of the other grants and subsidies the government already provides.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Or perhaps seriously addressing the immigration policy to a become a more international place to live and work…

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

¥80,000 equals US$584.37.

Parents can just get months of baby food and accessories.

Kinda cheap, ain't it?

7 ( +9 / -2 )

Japanese gov't wants to give people an extra ¥80,000 to have babies

Yeah ! not for our happiness and the future of the human race ....Just to save their Economy !!!

-6 ( +2 / -8 )

This is hilarious and incredibly sad at the same time. This gov't seriously thinks that $600USD will actually be a deciding factor for couples to have a child. They are completely out of touch with people. It amounts to utter mismanagement of tax payers money. Abe's masks, his funeral, the olympics, increased defense spending, etc, etc and now this. They seriously have no clue.

5 ( +8 / -3 )

That's actually a pretty good deal. This would make childbirth free at hospitals. Unlike that 'murica place where it would cost ¥1,000,000 ($10,000) for three days in a hospital.

0 ( +5 / -5 )

The declining birthrate has been an existential cliff for years now, and these paltry band- aid efforts from the government are very telling ( of one thing) , ineptitude. Actually a complete lack of imagination too, as well as a bit of mean heartedness thrown in for good measure, considering what they think they can get away with offering. A few hundred bucks per kid. There ya go people. Problem sorted.

Literally the single and most immediate dire problem the nation faces, depopulation and the inevitable economic shutdown it will deliver. Aging cultures are declining ones.

When any government starts throwing a few bills at the problem it hopes it will go away you have to step back and really wonder. No sustainable or workable plan, no vision nor strategy. No accountability either, if only unto themselves. The reason these X Ivy Leaguers get paid the big bucks.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Free education & health care, home benefits and good day care would probably incentivize couples more to do it for Japan and reproduce.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Both my kids births were covered by Japanese health care. I didn't pay anything.

So I guess the Japanese government and the Japanese reporters are all wrong and the Gaijin claiming to live in Japan knows more.

according to Mainichi Shimbun the nationwide average for delivery costs is approximately 473,000 yen.

I like how people think they know something but in fact their Japanese spouse probably took care of things.

Prenatal care isn't covered, birth "allowance" is basically what this article is talking about.

If you're medical bills are more than the above it is your cost.

The amount above is usually given post delivery after registration of the child at the city office.

Miscarriage or C section may be covered if it is a medical necessity otherwise you pay.

Ask any Japanese

2 ( +8 / -6 )

So I guess the Japanese government and the Japanese reporters are all wrong and the Gaijin claiming to live in Japan knows more.

I am speaking from my real experience, so if you're saying something different, then yes, clearly I know more.

I like how people think they know something but in fact their Japanese spouse probably took care of things.

My Japanese spouse was a housewife. I was taking care of things.

Prenatal care isn't covered

Except that, it was.

If you're medical bills are more than the above it is your cost.

This is correct, and they were clear ahead of time that this was the case. But our bills were less than the amount for both children. Also: "your".

-5 ( +4 / -9 )

Huh? Mate, it happened. Two kids. The birthing clinic did direct billing to the government, and she got monthly prenatal checkups.

Wow, just showed this to my wife!

She had a good laugh.

She just told her sister.

Yep she just replied, I cannot repeat the reply.

She just had a child this year.

Seems she didn't get that nor did my 2 kids, my wife's brother's 3 children or her sister's 2.

Amazing.

-2 ( +7 / -9 )

Prenatal care isn't covered

> Except that, it was.

https://japanhealthinfo.com/pregnancy-and-childbirth/pregnancy-and-delivery-costs/#:~:text=Delivery%20Costs&text=If%20you%20have%20Japanese%20Health,vary%20depending%20on%20your%20insurer.

Note the part!

Prenatal check-ups

Japanese Health Insurance does not cover prenatal check-ups, but you can use discount or free coupons provided by your local city or ward office.

As I previously pointed out only a few things and by a few I mean very few, one or two ultrasounds and a blood test, none of the regular checkups are covered

My Japanese spouse was a housewife. I was taking care of things.

And there is the difference.

I took care of it and I am the one that did the paperwork and I also raised the kids.

So I would say I have slightly more direct experience.

-1 ( +6 / -7 )

No woman is going to get pregnant FOR ¥500,000 (the former subsidy + the extra ¥80,000). However, it will help a lot of families.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Okinawa has the largest birth rate in the country and apart from pregnancy check-up visit prior to delivering the baby the birth cost is free.

Be ready, antiquesavings is about to cal you a liar and tell you he knows more about Japan than you do.

1 ( +7 / -6 )

I mean I'll take it it's better than 0 but like everyone else has pointed out this is NOT gonna be a factor in people deciding to have kids or not.

80000 yen cover pretty much exactly one month of expenses for our kid (kindergarden, food, diapers etc).

What WOULD work is...

Include childbirth and everything related in the god damn health insurance. Or make it free.

For sure don't charge 200000 yen extra for stuff like nipt testing or epidural during birth (side note: I just find that one especially barbaric. Like what other medial procedure would charge extra for anasthesia?? Pulling a tooth? Operations? No!)

Make child care/kinder garden cheap or free. This would be especially great for the country as one person wouldn't have to be a housewife/husband for years, but could rather support society.

Payed leave for at least a year not tied to companies.

Punish companies that tries to make it hard to take about leave.

Make school and uni free.

I'm from a northern european country and we did all above like 40 years ago. Me not going back home but rather deciding to have kids in Japan instead is literal economic suicide in comparison.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

How about increasing the monthly child support?

Make it Yen30.000 until the kid finishes school or university.

It's done in other countries! Why not Japan?

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Until my daughter, an Australian citizen on PR, turned 16, we were receiving 100,000 Yen every 3 months from the city council. Never noticed that money (it went to a different bank, to a familily account), must be still stitting there, never bothered to check.

I wonder how would someone start up their engines with a promise of 80,000Yen one off.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Why is the baby on the cover picture blond, does not look like a Japanese child.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

That means that even if the grant is increased, parents would be looking at, on average, less than 30,000 yen of it remaining once they’re home from the hospital, 

30,000¥ cash back and then you are looking at a lifetime of expenses dealing with the child growing up… lol !

3 ( +4 / -1 )

ok1517

Today 12:54 pm JST

How about increasing the monthly child support?

> Make it Yen30.000 until the kid finishes school or university.

> It's done in other countries! Why not Japan?

So much more needs to be done even before that.

Make sr high school free and open to all like jr high,

Unless you live in an area with a good public high school and unless your child can pass the centre exams, you will need to pay for a private Sr high school.

This right there is a no go for many that decide not to have children.

Knowing you will need to pay for juku or extra exam prep just to then pay to have you child take multiple high school entrance exams to have a backup if they fail the good public high entrance, then to need millions of yen in reserve if the child has to go private.

Something as basic as a high school education isn't guaranteed in Japan

1 ( +5 / -4 )

80,000 yen a month for each baby, until they reach the age to work, would be enough to cover some costs of raising a child here in Japan. One current big problem here in Japan is that many women are left with children and so, a big burden to them, there is the need to pass a law making men fully responsible to provide a proper financial aid if they decide to go away, it is a shameful situation to run away from the duties of fatherhood.

10 ( +11 / -1 )

Why is the baby on the cover picture blond, does not look like a Japanese child.

It's not blond. Many Japanese babies have lighter hair than that at birth. It gradually grows darker as they get older.

5 ( +8 / -3 )

@cleo I did nok know that, thank you

0 ( +2 / -2 )

cleo

Today 01:14 pm JST

I think you are correct, isolated the picture, it seems to me that the eyes are not those of a Caucasian.

I could be wrong but my first impression was an Asian child.

-2 ( +5 / -7 )

@Awa No Gaijin

"Okinawa has the largest birth rate in the country"

Possibly. Remove the air bases, it may drop to an average.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

scumbag politicians the lint in there pockets more value then this

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

How about just not worrying about it and let nature take its course. You can't force people or incentivise them when they've already made that decision. They should focus on wasting tax money on battle droids.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

A country best and valuable asset is it citizens. So Japan Government show to me that they undervalued it citizens. Good luck with the government every coming to term and invest ing in its citizens by providing a free and decent healthcare system and a decent minimum wage. Japan lacks both.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

Think about this.

A total of possibly ¥500,000 after the birth and one time.

So let's just look at cost of the non compulsory schooling.

Sr high if public has fees, but also other activities cost that if you don't send your child on will reflect badly on their application for university.

So average around ¥300,000 to ¥500,000 a year for 3 year per child. If they can get into public Sr high, private look at double if not more.

If the child can get into national university you are looking at ¥500,000 to ¥900,000. Per year.

If like most your children end up in Private university you are looking at a minimum of ¥900,000 per year a high-tech/robotics university you are looking at minimum ¥1,5 million per year and up

So to give you a rough idea what you are in for

My 2 went to public Sr high 3 years.

My son a good private business university 3 years.

My daughter AI computer science 6 years masters.

So in tuition fees alone for high school and university I am on the hook for over ¥10 million

So what is ¥80,000 extra going to do?

-2 ( +5 / -7 )

The cost of having children is literally $100,000s.

It literally isn't. Its a long-repeated, arbitrary, made-up figure used to discourage childbirth.

Both my kids births were covered by Japanese health care. I didn't pay anything.

Imagine getting through life without paying Japanese taxes!

Whats your secret?

-4 ( +3 / -7 )

Japan can hand out all the taxpayer money they want, but until there is quick and meaningful societal change regarding work/life balance, the country will literally die out in a century or 2.

4 ( +7 / -3 )

Woo! Hoo! A whopping 800 bucks! Is that every month!

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Imagine getting through life without paying Japanese taxes! 

Whats your secret?

Huh? I pay taxes. I just didn’t have to pay anything out of pocket.

-4 ( +3 / -7 )

How about just not worrying about it and let nature take its course. You can't force people or incentivise them when they've already made that decision.

Because modernity has transformed the economics of child rearing. Subsidies for children are the least we can do to correct the imbalance.

For 99.9% of human history, everyone wanted children because they were extremely valuable. Children were an extra pair of hands on the farm/family business, and they took care of parents when they became sick and elderly. The introduction of child labour laws, social welfare systems, urbanisation, and other developments have gradually transformed children from a valuable asset into a massive liability. This is why people in first world countries aren't having children, or more children. Japan is facing economic and societal collapse without some sort of intervention to correct this.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Antiquesaving

Today 02:04 pm JST

> -3( +0 / -3 )

Could the -3 explain?

I only pointed out the cost of post Jr high school in Japan.

This is a fact you can look up.

-6 ( +1 / -7 )

Make contraception and abortion illegal and lower the age of consent to 16, like most western countries.

-9 ( +1 / -10 )

I can’t even buy a cat or a dog in a pet shop for 80000 yen.

dogs cost ¥400000-600000, with monthly vaccines about ¥4000. A kids school bag costs only about ¥30000-70000.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

Both my kids births were covered by Japanese health care. I didn't pay anything.

Sorry, but you are wrong. Childbirth, and all of the incidental checkups, consultations, tests, etc, are not covered by health insurance in Japan. Even a cursory search online shows that it’s not covered by insurance. You have to pay everything out of pocket.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Please stop! I’m laughing toooo much now! The only way your gonna increase the population or stabilize it is by that terrible word, IMMIGRATION.

Every single developed country has a natural falling birth rate and the only way to increase the population is by immigration. So kee your money if you want to increase the birthdate, but if you wanna help the people, then thank you! Oh ! Why not just make child birth free. That would help new parents!

4 ( +7 / -3 )

By offering a paltry cash payment of such an amount, it's patently obvious whom they'd like to produce more fodder for the Japan Inc machine-the proles.

Unfortunately,most Japanese mass production has been outsourced to the child labour sweatshops of Vietnam,Cambodia,Myanmar,and so

on.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

80,000 yen? Japan really is run by out of touch old men.

billions for other countries to have weapons , nothing to ensure your people even exist in 100 years?

4 ( +6 / -2 )

I think it would be better to eliminate income tax for those raising children - something along those lines.

(in general I am in favour of reducing both taxes and government spending, making for conditions where people have greater propensity to look after themselves and save / invest for their future. Government spending is always more wasteful than people spending their own money for themselves.)

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Everyone on here mewling about the government not paying for their kids...

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

Geeter Mckluskie

Today 04:59 pm JST

Everyone on here mewling about the government not paying for their kids...

Yes because the government wants us to have more kids.

Otherwise no one says anything.

If someone says "hey have more children" I say if you want me to have more then you help pay otherwise stau out of it.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

I get that Japan's population is shrinking, but in the larger picture, of 8 billion souls on the planet, not sure it makes sense to try to pay people to have more children.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

@Strangerland

Since your children were born certain rules and regulations may have changed.

Several years ago and now may not be comparable.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Do you need a my number for this?

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Too little, too late. How about doing something substantial, like national funding for pre-school childcare? Which would allow working couples to have a life. Right now, having a child is a massive expense and sometimes even impossible.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

unlike many western countries you cannot request a C section it must be medically necessary.

Nonsense. I know several Japanese women who requested and got a C section. The doctor just fudges the report to say the procedure is necessary.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Monthly payments of ¥80,000 might be a real incentive, but not this.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Huh? I pay taxes. I just didn’t have to pay anything out of pocket.

how do you pay your taxes?

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

There are many other subsidies along the way. Parents also plan to save for babies. Some subsidy is good but can't rely on government too much or taxes will go up.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Things will never get better in Japan unless there are is a change in the culture that says "men work, women take care of kids". Policies are needed which:

1) Stop chaining women to the home when having kids. So many women are foregoing getting married and having children because it means giving up any kind of career or life achievements they might have. In addition, the inherent unfairness of foisting most childcare on women just means they're not going to bother.

2) Encourage and enable men to be fathers. A working man who takes paternity leave is frowned upon. This needs to be changed. I'm 100% there are many men out there who regret that they cannot spend time with their families because they work too damn much. A side benefit of this is it allows more flexibility for women, too.

A culture of gender equity in family life and policies designed around that is well-known to contribute to higher birth rates in Northern and Western Europe; As usual Japan really needs to catch up and enter the 21 century. But for that to happen, Japan needs politicians that aren't old men.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

The mental imagery of a few irresponsible bums that managed to reproduce spending all of that money on one night at a host club or pachinko parlor is pretty amusing.

Realistic and better policy proposal would be to guarantee one million yen per child, but not all in one lump sum. Divide the total and pay it out once a year in installments. No it's not really a huge amount of money - but the parents can decide how best to make use of it, whether that be investing it into indexes, dry non-perishable foods to be consumed over the course of a year, covering the cost of a new game system to keep their children entertained, ect.

If you're expecting the government to give people up to ten million yen per child, then you either don't understand economics or are not being serious. Japan's money system would explode. And then there would be so much inflation, people would stop having children altogether. Let's think rationally and not advocate for things that would worsen the problem.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

You can always scale back on the quest for profits, thus reducing the requirement for continuous increase in human capital.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

You can always scale back on the quest for profits, thus reducing the requirement for continuous increase in human capital.

sure.

But then we'd all freeze to death in the dark.

If we haven't died of starvation first..

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Kokegawa

Today 09:01 pm JST

Things will never get better in Japan unless there are is a change in the culture that says "men work, women take care of kids". Policies are needed which:

Etc ...

Perhaps it isn't such a great advance in society.

Women working basically lowered wages all around.

More workers especially will to work at lower wages is the reason salaries haven't risen in years all over the developed world.

In my parents day my father, uncles, friends father's all earned enough to raise a family of 2 adults 2 to 4 children on a single salary.

Try that today.

In Japan in just the past 10 years the number of households that live on just a single income ( usually the husband) has dropped by 40% .

None of my family and friends under retirement age can survive or raise a family on a single income.

So now it is equality, both parents don't have time to raise children both over worked, both under paid.

Oh the progress, next we will be told sending children into the minds is a good thing and gives them independence and power but that will include 16 year old voting rights like NZ wants.

New from of progress

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

The government is using ITriconometry mathematics, they want to pay the citizens ¥80,000 to have babies knowing that they would get a lot more on the back end once these babies grow up and become hard working productive tax paying citizens once the baby bond matures!

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

If you're expecting the government to give people up to ten million yen per child, then you either don't understand economics or are not being serious

If the government expects that an extra ¥80,000 is going to make people go " hey WOW I will now have a few more children, 'then then they either don't understand economics or are not being serious."

See works both ways.

I gave a quick break down of just post Jr high school education costs per child.

Again no one here said anything that the government should pay until after this farce was proposed by the government.

It is the government saying have kids well then pay us to do it otherwise it will be a long wait because ¥80,000 will not do it.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

80,000 yen.

It's just pointless.

Isn't large enough to be an incentive to have kids nor if you have a child will it make any difference to your situation.

Pure hot air

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

@Antiquesaving

Perhaps it isn't such a great advance in society.

Women working basically lowered wages all around.

More workers especially will to work at lower wages is the reason salaries haven't risen in years all over the developed world.

There is absolutely no evidence for this utterly ridiculous claim of yours. It's noting more than the crudest form of the lump of labor fallacy. It's like saying that because the male labor force doubled because of population growth, that must mean that wages will be half of what they were before!

Nonsense.

In my parents day my father, uncles, friends father's all earned enough to raise a family of 2 adults 2 to 4 children on a single salary.

Try that today.

In Japan in just the past 10 years the number of households that live on just a single income ( usually the husband) has dropped by 40% .

None of my family and friends under retirement age can survive or raise a family on a single income.

So now it is equality, both parents don't have time to raise children both over worked, both under paid.

And your best explanation is that this must be because of those DANM womenfolk daring to get out of the house? Haven't you considered that it's because costs of living have risen immensely since then and that the opportunity costs of staying home as a housewife have significantly diminished? Come on, man.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Yoyogi59

Why is the baby on the cover picture blond, does not look like a Japanese child.

What does a Japanese child look like?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Do Japan want pure 100% Japanese breed children or halfu children also fine with them?

There should be an official organisation where women agrees to have child without getting married and they can have agreement to take care of the child by herself for good without interfering child's father.

Then i am ready to apply to have such agreement with Japanese girl, obviously without needing to pay anything and of course get to see a girl in person first and make agreement by both.

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

More workers especially will to work at lower wages is the reason salaries haven't risen in years all over the developed world.

You're Canadian aren't you: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/14-28-0001/2020001/article/00006-eng.htm

Looks like they've consistently risen in your homeland, which is part of the developed world...

Maybe you were talking America? https://www.statista.com/statistics/200838/median-household-income-in-the-united-states/

Nope... they've increased there too. Which developed world were you referring to?

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Immigrate from Japan, and get way more.

Why do you think hordes of foreigners are coming to Europe, sometimes women still pregnant or with a few kids ? Incentives compare to Japan is all opposite.

Just paid 50 000 ¥ for my son's full first year in engineering school. Why have a baby and work for such a pittance of 500 000 ¥ at birth only ?

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

I remember reading in 2019 that the Japanese issued a statement about creating 200,000 AI specialist per year!!!!! This innovative baby bonus incentive comes from the same committee that proposed the AI plan. Brilliant!!! Truly Brilliant!!!

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Did they forget to add a zero?

1 ( +2 / -1 )

It is the government saying have kids well then pay us to do it otherwise it will be a long wait because ¥80,000 will not do it.

You ignored half of my comment and also didn't read the article.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

'something something (competition of single moms barely feedin kids…)' salaries haven't risen in years all over the developed world.

Ándale ándale, your missing out on these Ai's and Bots getting rolled out la rapidos! Gonna see all DIY shoppin malls to go with the conbini marts. Why pay any wages if you can just plug in DIY registers 247 til things break, turn around make it back off spare parts. Watch. All these crib sheet tight wads arent ever gonna need to worry about any developed world salaries. Skip right over to robots and Looters keep the change.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Sorry, but you are wrong. Childbirth, and all of the incidental checkups, consultations, tests, etc, are not covered by health insurance in Japan. Even a cursory search online shows that it’s not covered by insurance. You have to pay everything out of pocket.

That appears to be true. I don't have children but I am interested in seeing how Japanese insurance works compared to my country Australia. Australia has one of the best health care systems in the world!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Here are some ideas GET RID OF the crazy entrance tests for public high schools and allow all kids to go to school free up to high school.

Second, if the father decides to run off and leaving the mother holding the bag for everything make sure there is a reasonable financial accountability where the mother doesn't have to track the money down to cover the cost of living for the children.

Free health care up to the age of 18 and that may get more women wanting to have a child and giving an increase in childbirth.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Only the plebs who are living from paycheck to paycheck are going to reproduce themselves for 80,000 yen -- this is not very smart policy. Extinction may be the kindest option for Japan -- there isn't much that is actually worth preserving about this society.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

If you have a baby you'll get 80,000 yen. But then Kishida will sock you will a military tax for supposedly advance weapons, which, will cumulatively cut into your 80,000 yen. That aside, 80,000 yen is like loose change compared the cost of maintaining a baby. And the baby does nothing to earn its keep---how can it?

Where did this 80,000 yen idea start? Some bar? The government will need to do better if they want more children. Meanwhile urban Japan has gotten wise. No kids = more pie.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Is that per baby?

¥80,000 to impregnate as many women as possible?

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

ridiculous .why give money before a child is born? they may choose not to have a child after getting the money .

0 ( +0 / -0 )

coming off the tax payer’s money, what can a ¥80,000 stipend do…? Educate me…

0 ( +0 / -0 )

How to apply

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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