Report: Nearly 42% of Japanese women born in the year 2005 might end up never having children in their lifetimes

Around 42% of Japanese women born in 2005 might never become mothers during their lifetimes, potentially posing a threat to Japan’s social security program in the future, according to a forthcoming government research estimate reported by the Nikkei newspaper.

The National Institute of Population and Social Security Research in Japan projected that approximately 33.4% of women born in 2005 might not have children under a moderate scenario. Even in the most optimistic scenario, this rate would only decrease to 24.6%.

Conversely, men in Japan are facing an even higher likelihood of not getting married, with up to half of 18-year-old men estimated to potentially remain childless, as reported by Nikkei based on the research’s findings.

Similar patterns are emerging and expected to increase in developed economies like the United States and Europe, where individuals are deviating from the traditional norm of having children and instead focusing on personal fulfillment.

In Western countries, roughly 10% to 20% of women born in 1970 did not have children. In Japan, this figure is slightly higher at 27%, and it is anticipated to double if the percentages observed in the US and Europe persist.

This trend has somewhat declined in countries such as the United Kingdom and Germany, where efforts are being made to establish a better work-life balance, encouraging couples to consider having at least one child.

Japan has also been striving to improve conditions for prospective parents through initiatives like work-style reforms. However, factors like uncertain futures and stagnant wages have influenced the younger generation’s decisions about marriage.

Takashi Oshio, a professor at Hitotsubashi University’s Institute of Economic Research and a social security expert, emphasized the urgency of addressing this issue. He called for comprehensive discussions on establishing a social safety net that encompasses various aspects including pensions, medical care, nursing care, and living assistance for individuals without families, along with appropriate funding. Nikkei quoted Oshio as saying, “There needs to be an urgent discussion on building a social safety net in every area — including pensions, medical care, nursing care and living assistance — that does not disadvantage people without family, along with funding.”