Number of babies born in Japan is the lowest since records began

A whole slice of Japanese workers’ have life that squarely fall in “poor and dull”. The overworking cliche is only true to an extent, but still working poor people are plenty and their number rising could arguably be the main factor in the population demographic change.

“I don’t make enough money to build a family” is a very prevalent sentiment looking around IRL and on social media, and seems to be corroborated by the stats.

I don't think it works like that.

My overworked friends don't feel that helpless.

They can eat out anytime, go to any concert they desire, buy any gadget. They feel secure and safe, they work hard only due to expectation and societal pressure but a few many are self driven

And they don't think like ohhh we don't have capacity to have kids. They infact say they can have kids anytime they wish and they aren't missing out on something.

It's kinda network effect.

You go on social media, you see indepdent guy bunjee jumping and some couples posting photos of their kids, which one gets more likes? Obviously bunjee jumping one. So, we are conditioned to seek inviduality/freedom/lack of family responsibilies.

I would say, increasing workplace responsibilities are also to blame.

If you are CEO of a company, i think you've same profile of busy time as a normal guy with a baby who has to take of it.

But which one gets more praises? obviously the one who takes corporate responsibilites.

I don't know if someone gets praises for having kids. Infact, if you are trying to adjust your babys carrier while walking on footpath, people are like wtf? Why can't these guys keep their baby at home.

Baby cries, same, wtf....why can't these guys keep their baby at home?

You feel embarrassed and feel like you did something wrong.

So you are making a point that replacing kids with imported people is better?

Having babies with (20-40% chances of them turning into liability) vs importing high skilled individuals with negligible chances of turning into liability.

Obviously, latter one looks better.

But minorities (immigrants) usually collude and rise to top in a nation with strong property rights and legal system.

Then locals are like, hey, this country doesn't even belong to them and they are taking all jobs.

This destroys social cohesion and increase group exclusion where you feel safe only with your own tribe. Covert descrimination increases.

Is that the primary motivation for Brexit? You can see how much uncertainty it has caused already.

This might impact mental health and productivity.

This all has a cost too. So, you can't say immigration is better than having kids based on a rate of turning into liability citizen.

Not quite accurate about the free daycare in the Nordics, we actually have higher levels of fertility than similarly developed countries without it. And no, it's not just immigrants having more babies.

Not free as far as I know, there is a points system though (have a 10 month old, loving in Japan with Japanese wife), that worries my wife a lot.

I don't know all the details but she is concerned we won't be able to get our son into a close enough child care to be able to return to work.

It's not a massive problem for us, as we can survive on one pay, but it's still a big worry.

As for support for young children, well the cost to have our son was quite high(compared to Australia - and this is purely subjective mind you, didn't really research it, just asked family members).

If anyone has any specific questions I can ask my wife and reply tomorrow (10pm here).