Japan's Population Decline: A Worrying Trend in a Growing World - Essay Sample

Introduction

According to the United Nations (UN) (2019), the world's population is anticipated to rise by two billion individuals by 2050, an estimate of around 9.7 billion people by then. Therefore, it becomes crystal clear that the human population around the globe continues to grow. However, my primary concern is that despite the continuous growth of the world's population, Japan's population has been declining for several years. The decline of Japan's population is one of the fastest across the globe. Bulgaria and Romania are some of the European nations which may be experiencing a more rapid decline in the human population than that of Japan (Harding, 2019). The issue of Japan's population shrinkage and aging needs to be urgently addressed before having adverse impacts on the country's economy and the sustainability of the society.

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Additionally, the continuing rise of an aging population in Japan is still a critical issue that requires to be tackled. It is estimated that in 2018, approximately 28 percent of Japan's population was made up of people who are 65 or more years (Charlton, 2019). Also, low birth rates and high death rates may be contributing to the nation's population decline. It is reported that Japan registered its lowest birth rate in 2018 since it commenced taking statistics in 1899. The number of babies born by the end of 2018 was approximately 921,000. This figure indicates a decrease of tentatively 25,000 babies born in 2017. It is worth to note that the year 2018 marked three consecutive years, where Japan has been registering birth cases that are below a million mark (Kyodo, 2018). In the same year, death cases were estimated to be around 1.37 million, while the country also recorded its highest population decline, and the figure for the decrease was estimated to be 448,000 (Kyodo, 2018).

By evaluating the continuous decline of Japan's population, I have learned that low birth rates, high death rates, and stringent immigration policies are some of the primary factors that contribute to the fast decline of the country's population. I have also learned that the increasing aging population in Japan is another population-based problem that requires immediate and long-lasting solutions. Moreover, I have discovered that labor laws that have made it hard for young people to find stable jobs may be contributing to Japan's population decline because young men are not willing to marry when they don't have steady sources of income (Ingber, 2018).

There exist several reasons why we should care about the continuous decline of Japan's population. For instance, the declining population has the likelihood of reducing the workforce, which can significantly inhibit economic growth. The increase of the aging population indicates that government spending will go up as it attempts to cater for their healthcare needs as well as paying the pension packages. The government may also suffer from a colossal burden of debts as it tries to search for more funds to be used in stimulating the nation's economy (Samuelson, 2019). The aging population workforce may slow the innovation of the country, thus decreasing its competitiveness against other countries around the globe.

Despite these challenges facing Japan, the country can embrace different strategies to curb its continuing population decline. For instance, the government, through the lawmakers, should ensure that they provide stable job opportunities for young individuals. Such permanent jobs will encourage young people to marry and bear several children because they have the income to support their families. Also, policy and lawmakers need to loosen the immigration regulations to ensure more foreigners can enter the nation and even obtain citizenship in the future (Ingber, 2018). The foreigners may be essential in providing the labor force, which is a critical factor in stimulating economic growth. Structural reforms to Japan's are also needed, such that women will be encouraged to actively participate in the labor market (Charlton, 2019). The government must establish and embrace economic support initiatives such as free childcare and preschool education to young families who are raising young kids (Kyodo, 2018). The government should enhance the healthcare delivery systems to ensure that the elderly receive adequate care, thus decreasing death rates in the country.

References

Charlton, E. (2019). Japan's population is shrinking by a quarter of a million people every year. World Economic Forum. Retrieved from https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/04/japan-is-losing-a-quarter-of-a-million-people-every-year/

Harding, R. (2019). Japan's population decline accelerates despite record immigration. Financial Times. Retrieved from https://www.ft.com/content/29d594fa-5cf2-11e9-9dde-7aedca0a081a

Ingber, S. (2018). Japan's Population Is In Rapid Decline. National Public Radio (NPR). Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/2018/12/21/679103541/japans-population-is-in-rapid-decline

Kyodo. (2018). Number of babies born in Japan in 2018 lowest since records began; population decline the highest. The Japan Times. Retrieved from https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2018/12/21/national/number-babies-born-japan-2018-lowest-since-records-began-population-decline-highest/#.XatQ82ZRXIX

Samuelson, R. (2019). The fate of Japan, and everyone else. The Financial Times. Retrieved from https://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2019/06/18/commentary/japan-commentary/fate-japan-everyone-else/#.Xas5iWZRXIU

United Nations (UN). (2019). World Population Prospects 2019: Highlights. UN: Department of Economic and Social Affairs. Retrieved from https://www.un.org/development/desa/publications/world-population-prospects-2019-highlights.html