Birthrate hits record low 1.29 in 2003 in Japan
The decline may mean future problems for the implementation of government's pension reforms, recently passed by the Diet, which were drawn up on the assumption that the birthrate would start rising again. That this assumption has now been shown to be false is likely to add to criticism of the reforms by opposition parties and the public.
The figure stood at 0.9987 in Tokyo, making the capital the first area in this country to see its fertility rate fall below 1. Tokyo was followed by Kyoto Prefecture at 1.15, Nara Prefecture at 1.18, Hokkaido, Chiba and Osaka prefectures at 1.2, according to the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry.
The government is taking a serious view of the record-low birthrate since it marks an acceleration of an ongoing decline. The ministry in January 2002 estimated that the birthrate would bottom out at 1.306 in 2007 and then progressively climb to 1.39. The ministry predicted that the birthrate for 2003 would be unchanged from the previous year at 1.32.
The pension reform laws calculated the financial outlook for pension benefits and premiums on the basis of the future population of the nation, with the birthrate as the basis for the calculations.
Since the 2003 birthrate was lower than forecast, the ministry will have little choice but to amend its projections for coming years--a move that may have serious ramifications for the future of public pensions.
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Birthrate hit-uri de înregistrare 1.29 scãzut în 2003 în Japonia - Birthrate hits record low 1.29 in 2003 in Japan - articole medicale engleza - startsanatate