Japan’s Fertility: More Children Please
Selected Issues Papers, July 1, 2024
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- Canonical URL
- Japan’s Fertility: More Children Please
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Bibliographic details
- Authors: Kohei Asao, Danila Smirnov, TengTeng Xu
- Published: July 1, 2024
- Series: Selected Issues Papers
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.5089/9798400282034.018
Summary findings
- Japan’s fertility has declined in the past three decades.
- Raising Japan’s fertility rate is a key policy priority for the government.
- Cross-country analysis and case studies find that the most successful measure to support the fertility rate is the provision of childcare facilities, particularly for children aged 0-2.
- Offering stronger incentives for the use of paternity leave can alleviate the burden of childcare on mothers, supporting fertility.
- There is limited evidence that cash transfers are effective in supporting fertility, based on international experience.
Policy recommendations and implications
- Expand provision of childcare facilities with priority on coverage for children aged 0-2 to support higher fertility.
- Strengthen incentives for paternity leave uptake to redistribute childcare responsibilities and reduce the childcare burden on mothers.
- Reassess reliance on cash transfers as a primary policy tool for raising fertility, given limited supporting international evidence.
Content in this bundle
- Japan’s Fertility: More Children Please; Japan; Selected Issues Paper No. 2024/025; April 15, 2024