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“I want to be very involved. I aim to provide my child with everything they desire,” said Lee, a newlywed.
However, these aspirations have influenced Lee and her husband’s decision to postpone starting a family in Singapore.
“If my child were to say, ‘Mommy, I want you to stay home with me all the time,’ we simply cannot meet that expectation because we both have demanding careers and are not prepared to become stay-at-home parents,” Lee explained.
Falling birth rates are a pressing issue for several Asian nations, notably Japan and South Korea.
Recent statistics from Japan’s Internal Affairs Ministry indicated that the country’s total population has decreased for the 15th consecutive year in 2023.
Similarly, South Korea is grappling with the world’s lowest fertility rate, recorded at 0.72 births per woman in 2023.
The combination of an aging demographic and a decline in birth rates has raised significant concerns within their governments, prompting urgent measures to avert the ensuing economic and social ramifications.
Despite numerous pro-natalist policies implemented over the years, these countries have seen little improvement in birth rates. In response, urban centers like Tokyo and Seoul have begun investigating drastic initiatives aimed at incentivizing family growth, though experts caution that such actions might only treat the symptoms rather than address the underlying causes of the issue .
Asian Policymakers are Urging Citizens to Have More Children
In a recent development, Tokyo’s government announced a $1.28 million investment in a dating application for its residents, as reported by the local newspaper The Asahi Shimbun. The application is anticipated to launch this summer.
A Japanese official commented, “Our goal is for this government-associated app to inspire confidence and encourage those reluctant to try conventional dating apps to find a partner.”
This initiative has garnered attention even from billionaire Elon Musk, who has long voiced concerns about the dangers posed by declining birth rates.
Musk expressed his approval of Japan’s initiative, asserting, “If decisive measures aren’t enacted, Japan (and many other nations) faces extinction!” in a post on X in June.
In a parallel move, the South Korean government is offering up to $730 to individuals willing to reverse their sterilization procedures.
These incentives complement the country’s comprehensive strategies to promote childbearing, including subsidies for women seeking egg freezing and a newborn allowance system for parents.
“Such radical proposals are likely reflections of policymakers’ growing anxiety,” remarked Paulin Straughan, a sociology expert from the Singapore Management University, to BI. “Conventional ideas have proven ineffective, leading us to explore more innovative solutions.”
Poh Lin Tan, a senior research fellow at Singapore’s Institute of Policy Studies, believes there may still be merit in implementing small-scale interventions like those in Tokyo and Korea .
“Pursuing fringe policies might offer practical solutions due to the complexities involved in addressing societal shifts. Thus, focusing on manageable, low-cost interventions could yield meaningful results,” Tan suggested.
Countries discontented with the substantial financial burdens tied to Scandinavian-inspired policies, including extensive childcare subsidies and housing allowances, might aim for more immediate impacts with single handouts.
This doesn’t require as drastic of measures as a dating application. Nations like Singapore and Hong Kong are providing cash incentives to families upon the birth of a child.
In Singapore, parents are eligible for $11,000 for their first and second child, and $13,000 for each subsequent child.
Nonetheless, such financial incentives are failing to resonate with younger women like Lee, who view parenthood as a significant lifelong commitment.
Lee, who has two dogs and a cat, articulated concern that governments might be misjudging the effectiveness of these one-time financial incentives in increasing birth rates.
“While it’s possible that more marriages might slightly boost birth rates, I believe the core issue remains unsolved — how to facilitate sustainable parenting,” Lee remarked.
She emphasized the need for a cultural shift regarding work-life balance to encourage her peers to consider parenthood.
“It’s about more than just having a child. It’s a long-term change — how will I responsibly care for my child?” she added.
Concerns about the financial burdens of raising a family also deter some potential parents, which one-time cash bonuses cannot alleviate.
“I can’t justify allocating part of my income to raising kids since it’s financially demanding,” said content creator Emily Huang, 29, expressing her priorities. “I’m primarily focused on retirement planning, and with my current earnings, a comfortable retirement seems far off.”
Rethinking Approaches to the Demographic Dilemma
Experts consulted by BI indicated that, while these initiatives might stem from good intentions, they are unlikely to significantly alter the demographic trends in these nations.
Stuart Gietel-Basten, a social science and public policy scholar at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, argued that governments are misdiagnosing the issue if they think low birth rates are strictly a result of decreased sexual activity.
“That perspective is flawed. While it’s true that having sex does lead to children, it doesn’t guarantee that people who are sexually active will choose to have families,” Gietel-Basten explained.
“We have numerous policies aimed at increasing birth rates, yet the evidence supporting their effectiveness is virtually nonexistent,” he added.
Straughan from SMU suggested that governments should focus on maximizing the potential value of their aging populations.
“We must acknowledge that an increasing number of individuals will opt to remain single. And that’s acceptable,” Straughan said. “In parallel, we need to adjust our expectations for seniors — how can we fully harness their contributions?”
Straughan believes that an increase in seniors need not be detrimental; they can continue to play meaningful roles in society through volunteer work and community engagement.
However, it’s vital for governments to address the challenges presented by declining birth rates.
According to Gietel-Basten, low fertility rates symbolize deeper societal challenges and should be regarded as “indications of issues within the community.”
“Simply pressuring young people to have more children is not the solution. Individuals do not have children for the state; they don’t have children to sustain pension systems,” he stated.
“We must genuinely listen to young families and work to support them. Without this foundational change, whimsical policies will not create the desired outcomes,” he concluded.
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