1.1 - Japan Low Rate of Population Growth

Question 1

Describe the declining population of Japan (BR, DR, years)

Answer 1

• steadily declining since 1977
• slow population growth 1996-2005 due to steadily increasing death rate with a static birth rate (lag time)
• decline is caused (since 2005) by the death rate constantly being higher than the birth rate
  
  • both are low fluctuating
• death rate increasing due to increasing population of elderly

Question 2

What are the reasons (3) for low birth rate in Japan?

Answer 2

• cost of living in Japan is high
• affording a child is difficult
• the population within childbearing age is decreasing

Question 3

What pro-natalist policies have been implemented in Japan (2)?

Answer 3

• 1994: government started to encourage more births
  - childcare services; parental leave; monetary assistance
• 2009 programme: enable mothers to remain in the workforce to earn enough income and maintain good standard of living whilst also bringing up a child

Question 4

Why have efforts to increase the population of Japan not been successful (5)?

Answer 4

• lack of employment in rural areas
• no opportunities or job offers
• younger people leave to less densely populated areas and so that of smaller areas decrease
• people are too old to have children
• people don’t want to lose their free time or career in having a child
• women are still single by the time they are 30
• strict barriers to immigration do not allow the population to increase