Dwindling Birth Rate-(2)

The reasons why I think the birth rate in Japn is declining are ―

First of all, women's role in Japan has fairly been diversified these days. For example, some women choose to be single while working all their life, or much more married women tend to work. I think working women feel independent and satisfied with not only serving as housewives but also as career women. They may want more offspring than they have now, but they may hesitate because of dreading to lose the position at work.

Secondly, there is a fact that much less fathers engage in child-raring. Despite women's view toward child-rasing having dramatically changed, men's view to child-raring seemed not to be changed like as women's. Quite a few men have to work late everyday because the number of full-fledged employees has been decreasing due to recent layoffs, while the workload has not changed or even been expanding. This is why they cannot spend quality time if they want. This may discourage women from bearing more babies.

Lastly, financial problem should also be counted. Increasing number of people now work as a part timer, they are financially unstable and end up avoiding bringing up children. More than that, educational cost is skyrocketing by leaps and bound.

I suppose what so many factors are combined makes the problem diffiult to solve, even though we all know we must do something. Well, how should we deal with this situation?
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