TOKYO: Over 70% of respondents aged 50 and older feel a sense of urgency regarding population decline, with the sentiment becoming stronger among older age groups, according to a survey by a private-sector expert panel.
The “Forum for the Future We Choose,” chaired by Akio Mimura, honorary chairman of Nippon Steel Corp., released its “white paper on population issues” on Friday (March 27) morning, compiling statistics and survey results regarding population decline. The survey on its own targeted about 20,000 people.
This white paper was compiled for the first time in response to growing concerns over the declining birth rate and population decline, with the aim of raising public awareness and momentum for measures against such trends.
The white paper includes future projections indicating that Japan’s total population will fall below 100 million in 2056, and that the proportion of the population aged 65 and older will reach 38.7% in 2070.
The white paper noted that while there were no prefectures in 2020 where single-person households aged 65 and older accounted for more than 20% of all households, some prefectures will exceed 25% in 2050. It pointed out that this presents “a difficult challenge regarding how to build community support systems.”
The white paper also introduced statistics that offer insights for addressing the declining birth rate, such as noting that the likelihood of couples having second or later children increases as husbands spend more time on housework and childcare on their days off.
The survey was conducted online from January to February, targeting about 22,000 people nationwide aged 18 and older.
Among those 60 and older, 75.2% responded that they feel a sense of urgency regarding population decline, including those who said they feel so “very much.” The percentage was lower in younger age groups: 71.0% for those in their 50s; 67.2% for those in their 40s; 65.1% for those in their 30s; and 62.9% for those aged 29 and younger.
By region, the percentage of respondents who said they “feel the reality” of population decline, including those who answered “somewhat,” was highest in Tohoku at 67.1% and lowest in Kanto at 55.2%.
The forum was established in October last year mainly by economic organisations, academics and local government leaders to discuss measures to address population decline.
In addition to introducing the forum’s initiatives, the white paper features contributions from experts across various fields. The forum plans to publish the white paper annually going forward.
At a press conference in Tokyo on Friday, forum co-chair Hiroya Masuda, a former internal affairs and communications minister, stated: “We presented the facts to encourage people to view the population decline issue as something that concerns them personally. This is also meaningful for the formulation of policies.” - The Yomiuri Shimbun/ANN
