Voices
in
Japan

quote of the day

Many people believe married couples should have children but they also think child-rearing and their education cost too much, feeling anxious about their employment prospects and income. Those who said one should not necessarily marry likely include many people who have given up on marrying out of fear of problems after marriage.

16 Comments

Masahiro Yamada, a family sociology professor at Chuo University, commenting on two Asahi Shimbun surveys that showed many Japanese want to marry and have children but are hesitating to do so due to financial and other obstacles.

© Asahi Shimbun

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

16 Comments
Login to comment

Stop putting pressure on couples to have children. No one is obliged to have children, married or otherwise.

5 ( +9 / -4 )

I'm not sure that much more people would marry and have kids if they could afford it.

More and more young people see that more as a pain in the butt than something life fulfilling. After all, "Marriage is to solve together problems that wouldn't have happened while alone".

And hearing "Get married ! Have kids !" at every family reunion just helps these young people grow further away from their family.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

 In the US, students have access to loans to pay

We have student loan in Japan, too by the way.

And when I saw the title, the first thing that came on my mind was that this was not just a Japan problem but more of a world wide issue - the cost of university education in the US is ridiculous even though the loans are available.

Cost of education, unemployment rate, job (in)security, these are world wide problems and something each country can learn from each other to find good solutions.

More and more DINKS in younger generations out there, and I guess there's a good reason for that.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

@Concerned Citizen

Answer for you:

Upon those who have the desire for a family and can afford it.

Done.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Fewer children may create some short-term problems but fewer people on this planet should be a long-term goal.

As a species, our breeding has gone out of control.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

This is a sad reality in Japan at present. Solutions will be difficult and complicated but are surely needed.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Marriage is a good thing but the things goes with it will make you think twice.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Thank you Luddite.

It's a common refrain in society to expect marriage and biological children to go together. Life doesn't always work that way, sometimes by choice and sometimes by nature. It's a personal issue that can be very hurtful so I wish public figures would stop talking about it using words like "should". As if we loyal subjects must produce more worker bees for the state or some nonsense lol.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

That sentence just says it all! Muddled, fearful, no confidence and bleak.

All you need is love y’all, the rest will take care of itself. It’ll give you superpowers, but it takes a bit of courage for it to happen. Trust is an act of courage. The entrance gate to love.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Upon whom should the the financial, physical and emotional burden of producing the next generation fall?

Oh dear, life is very black and white for you, isn't it.

There are people, married or otherwise, that want and have children. You will note my comment said no one should be obliged to have children, therefore married people should not be expected to want or be able to pro-create.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Cricky's comments are spot on.

This problem of declining population and the difficulty for ordinary people to cope financially with raising families (2+ kids) has been known for decades. Decades.

Only recently the LDP dinosaurs have started paying lip service to the issue, trying to create a "We Care" image. Way, Way too late.

And re the cost of "free" education in Japan. Families are asked to contribute way more than one would expect from a top 3 rich country. The govt strictly controls education in just about all facets, but the people have to pay heavily for it.

And the loan system for uni students is an embarrassment.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Boat has sailed on this one 20 years of inaction from the LDP have crushed any positive outlook by the 60% of workers on short term contracts. When the Finance Minister recommends Cup Noodles for a staple, you know things are not going to get better.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Future Burden, well they should have thought of that, made a plan decades ago. They are acting like its a Suprise. And scrabbling to plug holes here and there in an ad hock manner. Begrudgingly allowing foreigners in but only for 5 years. As for the future generations burden- the astronomical national debt should be enough to stifle any hope for the masses. But some say robots and AI will save the day! There will be no change political will, just a grasp for the status quo in the face of facts.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

@Luddite

Question for you:

Upon whom should the the financial, physical and emotional burden of producing the next generation fall?

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

@Patricia Yarrow

What if..,,

1: Everyone, for whatever reason, decides not to have children?

2: Too many people decide not to have children and society suffers as a result?

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites