Posted on 12/04/2004 3:41:38 PM PST by traumer
The Japanese government says urgent policy changes are needed to persuade women to have more children.
Japan currently has one of the lowest birth rates in the world. Discrimination in the workplace and poor government policies have been blamed for deterring many Japanese women from having children.
But the government says that unless the trend is reversed quickly, the shortage of children risks doing damage to the economy.
The decline in Japan's birth rate is so severe they have invented a word for it - 'shoshika', meaning a society without children.
Unless women here start having more babies, the population in Japan is expected to shrink more than 20% by the middle of this century. Nearly half would be elderly, placing impossible burdens on the health and pension systems.
An official White Paper which has just been published recommends that the government now focus all its efforts on women born during Japan's last baby-boom, who are now in their 20s and 30s, in a final push to reverse the trend.
Today, record numbers of women in this age group are unmarried and without children. But it is not clear what kind of policies would work.
The government has already introduced a so-called 'Angel Plan', then a 'New Angel Plan', and most recently a 'Plus One Proposal' - all intended to offer more child-care facilities and other benefits for working mothers.
But the biggest obstacle to having families could be social attitudes. Men are still expected to spend long hours at the office and little time at home, while there is pressure on women to give up work when they have children.
A former prime minister who is in charge of the governing party's committee on population famously told women to stay at home and breed.
It is attitudes like that, still commonplace here - and not policies - which Japanese women say are putting them off getting married.
Hm...can I come too? ;-)
If aquafiers start running dry we will get water elsewhere. If water gets expensive that will inspire conservation and development of new sources. There's plenty of water.
There were times I thought of going to work, but for my family it actually saved money by me staying home. Just day care was too much.
I would try but it wasn't worth it. Add second car payment, insurance, gas/upkeep, clothes, meals....and the biggy. A higher income tax bracket.
Given the high cost of living brought about by government policy and the high rate of abortion in Japan it should come as no surprise.
I started off when we were a bit poorer. LOL!! We only have one car payment, too. You really do get used to living at a higher income and seems hard to cut some costs. We will go to some discount stores that we would buy food from before, and I keep thinking it didn't seem as bad before. My husban says it's because we've gotten used to being able to buy what we want.
Doh!! I misread what you wrote. I was talking about staying home. I thought you were saying you worked. Never mind! I'm too tired to think about what I'm reading. We need a delete button on these posts. LOL!
:') I've done both. I ended up staying home with occasional part time work.
good point :-)
I haven't read the entire thread, but I'll bet you get a TON of advice on that one! LOL!
My husband I get by on his income alone. Sometimes it's tight. Sometimes it seems impossible. But we manage. I've been homeschooling for 5 years and just this year sent mine to public school. (We lucked out in this move and found ourselves in a district that is really small and wonderful.) You don't have to send your kids to the best schools and give them the best clothes to be a great mom. The best moms I know take their kids to the thrift store for clothes, make their food from scratch and either educate them themselves or supplement their education. Breeding is easy and it's not a huge challenge for women. Raising kids well is challenging, difficult, hard work. Mary a guy who makes a decent living and who is stable in nature who you can rely on to bring home the bacon. Then find ways to raise kids without a second income. It's done all the time.
Shoot. Now-a-days you can even have the luxuries. Have you seen the price of a DVD player in Wal-mart these days? I saw one just yesterday for $50! I almost died when I saw the automotive version of the flat screen TV/DVD player for $169. That's not exactly "cheap", but for what it's for, that's a good price. If one were to save up for it the honestly "impoverished" person in this country could have one in 6 months. I remember when DVD players came out at $1500 just a decade ago. And the thought of having one in your CAR?! It was an impossible pipe dream only for the insanely rich. Dell computers are going for just over $500 right now. In 1984 my step dad got a Commodore 54 for $2,500. Two years ago I got a Gateway for $1200. Now it's less than half that.
No. You don't even have to go without all the luxuries, you just have to be patient and careful.
I left mine at daycare starting at 6 months old for two days a month. The first and the 15th. (Five hours each day.) On the first, I went shopping and paid bills. ON the 15th, I spent the day with myself. Bought a book and a coffee. Treated myself to lunch and a walk in park, had a cup of tea.
Moms have to take care of themselves, but you're right. The vast majority of these women are NOT raising their own kids.
I know what you mean. When my husband took me to NYC for our honeymoon I thought I was going to die. I had him take me to a movie to get my mind over the crushing sensation. (Kindergarden Cop! lol!)
You a lefty too? lol
What's up with Walmarts? I've noticed that too. That's what you do. Find bargains. You may not be able to afford the 4 bedroom, 3 car garage in the posh suburbs but a frame house in the country nicer IMO anyway:')
huh?
Of course ... but didn't you just buy a house in the Frozen North somewhere?
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