News On Japan

Why money will not be enough to address Japan’s baby crisis

Feb 28 (Al Jazeera) - Japan is facing one of the world’s major demographic crises, with the number of annual births dipping below 800,000 for the first time in 2022.

The current birth rate of 1.34 is well below the 2.07 necessary to keep the population stable, meaning Japan’s population could drop from 125 million to 88 million by 2065.

Japan is the third most expensive country to raise a child, behind only China and South Korea, despite infamously stagnant wages. The average annual salary, which has barely increased since the late 1990s, is about $39,000, compared with an OECD average of almost $50,000.

In tandem with growing education opportunities and career ambitions — and in an echo of the situation in other advanced economies — Japanese women who are getting married and having children are doing so later in life, which typically means they are unlikely to be able to have larger families.

According to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the average age of mothers giving birth to their first child rose to 30.9 in 2021, the highest since records began in 1950. ...continue reading

News On Japan
POPULAR NEWS

Lime, the world’s largest electric scooter-sharing service, has announced a collaboration with a major insurance company to pursue a full-scale entry into the Japanese market.

A man was arrested in Higashi-Osaka for allegedly abducting three girls, one of whom has died, with around 80 empty medicine shells discovered in his home.

Prince Hisahito, the eldest son of Japan's Crown Prince and Crown Princess Akishino, turned 18 on September 6, officially becoming an adult member of the Imperial family.

The Ariake Urban Sports Park, which will open next month at the former Tokyo Olympic skateboarding site, was previewed Thursday ahead of its official opening on October 12.

The total cash earnings received by workers in Japan increased by 3.6% in July compared to last year, marking the second consecutive month of positive growth in real wages after adjusting for inflation.

MEDIA CHANNELS
         

MORE Education NEWS

Hi, This is Shibasaki! Today, I'll be using the new "Art Crayons" that I developed in collaboration with Pentel to create a dynamic seascape with beautiful sunset waves. This 8-color set blends effortlessly, giving you the ability to achieve painterly effects just like using watercolors! (Watercolor by Shibasaki)

September 3 is designated as 'Autumn Sleep Day,' a day to raise awareness about health and sleep, as new data reveals that nearly 80% of high school students are not getting the recommended amount of shut eye.

If you think you're underpaid, think again! These companies in Japan offer shockingly low salaries for high-skilled jobs, and because quitting is still taboo, they manage to keep their employees... (KonichiValue)

The Osaka Prefecture's unique academic assessment, known as the 'Challenge Test,' is once again being administered to third-year junior high school students this year.

At a school in Tokyo's Setagaya Ward, a training exercise was held to simulate the scenario of an intruder entering the school building. Teachers used a sasumata (a pole weapon traditionally used to detain individuals) to corner the intruder.

We follow Momo, a high school girl from a family of spirit mediums, and her classmate Okarun, an occult freak. The two of them start talking after Momo rescues Okarun from getting bullied. However, an argument ensues between them (Japanese Ammo with Misa)

As the Japanese government designates August 26 as "Volcano Disaster Prevention Day" starting this year, an educational event was held at a museum in Tokyo, where participants deepened their understanding of volcanoes.

A primary school in Tokyo's Toshima Ward issued an urgent appeal to parents on its website during the summer vacation, stating, 'As of August 31, we expect three vacancies due to teachers resigning.' The message continued, asking parents to 'please introduce any acquaintances with teaching licenses.'