Declined birth and death rates à increased longevity causes ageing
ü Female emancipation
ü Desire for luxury goods
ü Declined IMR (curative & preventative medicine readily available)
ü Many choose not to marry; tendency by women to marry later (28-30yrs)
ü Women have children later in their lives
ü Japan tradition make women reluctant to have children à child care is mother’s job.
ü Lack of child care facilities (few women would return to work; must care for children)
ü Economic:
o Pregnancy expensive in Japan as it is not covered by health insurance (must pay for own medical care during pregnancy)
o Health care only provided free for infants up to 3yrs
o Costs of schooling, university à many unable to afford more than 1 or 2 children
o Child benefit paid by Gov’t to families is low (barely enough for diapers)