Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center Japan Program
THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED
Baby Maybe? East Asia’s Demographic Crisis and Policy Failures
Many postindustrial societies are experiencing birth rates far below population-replacement level. In countries such as Japan, where birth rates have been low for over three decades and immigration into the country has remained highly controlled, economic and fiscal problems have mounted as the population continues to age at a pace unprecedented in human history. In this talk I use the case of Japan to examine how gender-role norms and social norms in the workplace and family are creating a “perfect storm” that continues to depress birth rates in postindustrial societies, especially in East Asia. My analysis includes a discussion of why policies to address low fertility have generally failed.