USA Today Examines Japanese Town's Efforts To Increase Total Fertility Rate, Reverse Declining Population

Main Category: Fertility
Article Date: 02 Aug 2005 - 0:00 PDT

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USA Today on Friday examined a Japanese town's efforts to increase its total fertility rate and declining population by offering women cash incentives to have more children. Over the past 50 years, the population of Yamatsuri -- located about 70 miles north of Tokyo -- has declined 37% to about 7,000 currently, resulting in pressure from the national government for the town to merge with a larger town nearby. In an attempt to maintain the town's autonomy, Mayor Ryoichi Nemoto implemented a plan that awards $9,200 over 10 years to any woman for each child she bears after the first two. The plan is based on a similar program launched nine years ago in Nishikata, which has since raised its population but not increased its total fertility rate (Wiseman, USA Today, 7/29). Japan's population is about 128 million, but if current trends continue, experts believe the population size will decline to 126 million by 2015 and be reduced to about 101 million by 2050 (Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, 3/3).

USA Today

"Reprinted with permission from http://www.kaisernetwork.org. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.

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