Low Birthrate Strategy in Different Dimension

 Since former governor of Bank of Japan Haruhiko Kuroda used this words, “different dimension” came to mean something excellent. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida borrowed them for his policy dealing with low birthrate. The Children Future Strategic Conference, a governmental body for the “different-dimensioned” policy for low birthrate headed by Kishida, published a draft of Children Future Strategy. While it includes additional support for the family with a college student, or establishing shelters for young people with difficulties, it is unclear what dimension is different.

Recognizing acceleration of decline of birthrate, the strategy warned Japan that a sustainable economic growth will not be expected, if Japan cannot reverse the trend of current low birthrate by 2030. In short, the purpose of the policy is to maintain economic growth, not the happiness of Japanese citizens. It also analyzes that Japan cannot reverse the trend as long as it is not able to increase the income of young people.

 

The strategy raised three basic concepts. One is increasing the income of young people through wage hike. Wage hike is Kishida’s slogan, saying “It’s economy, economy and economy,” not specified for child birth policy. The second is changing whole structure of the society and people’s mind. It argues that raising kids is not a job of women, but of men and local community. How will it be achieved? The third is comprehensive support for all children, regardless situation of children or parents. That is always needed.

 

The strategy listed various measures for supporting children or families with children, naming them “Acceleration Plan.” If a family has three or more children and one or some of them are college student, their entrance fee and tuition will be covered by allowance from the government. But financial supports for students are what former administrations, including Democratic Party of Japan, have introduced. It is not new or in different dimension.

 

The plan includes comprehensive support for children, such as establishing Children and Youth Shelter, which will be alternatives of the children consultation facilities of every local government. It also enhances the support for single mothers or workers’ recess for raising children. Those policies are new versions of existing measures.

 

The government will prepare ¥3.6 trillion of budget for those policies every year. It is introducing new budget for supporting children, amounting ¥1 trillion, which will be collected with payment for medical insurance. This can be a new system of budget in “different dimension.” If the revenue plan is insufficient, the government will issue additional governmental bonds, which method is nothing new.

 

Experts on this issue argue that not only supports for the families with children but for the people who cannot married with is fundamentally needed. There is no “different-dimensioned” measure to promote marriage of young people in the strategy.