The government in Tokyo, Japan’s capital, announced earlier this month an innovative measure to encourage the birth rate: a four-day work week for civil servants. The change, which will begin in April 2025, aims to balance the personal and professional lives of couples in the country. Japan is experiencing a birth crisis and this is the eighth year that the number of births has decreased in the country.
According to the Japan Times, she was the governor of Tokyo, Yuriko Koikewho announced this in a speech to the city’s Metropolitan Assembly. According to her, the purpose of measurement is to create “a future where both men and women can thrive.”
It is worth mentioning that civil servants currently have a working day that allows them to take an extra day off at home every four weeks. The proposal must review this rule and authorize a fixed day off each week.
“We will continue to review flexible working styles to ensure that women do not have to sacrifice their careers due to the birth or raising of children. Now is the time for Tokyo to take the lead in protecting and improving lives, livelihoods livelihood and economy of our people during these difficult times”announced Governor Koike.
Furthermore, another measure presented was the possibility for couples with children enrolled in first to third grade to choose to leave work early by paying a proportional share of their salary.
Japanese couples and the birth crisis
According to the chief of staff, Yoshimasa Hayashiin 2023, births decreased by 5.1% and marriages by 5.9%, reaching the lowest level in the last 90 years with a number of less than 500 thousand. The secretary assesses the critical situation. “The next six years or so, until 2030, when the number of young people will decline rapidly, will be the last chance to reverse the trend”he stated.
Furthermore, according to the Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, the Japanese population under 15 represents 11.4% of the total. That would be an all-time low. Meanwhile, the number of elderly people over 65 has also reached a record level, representing 29.1% of the total population.
Finally, estimates from the National Institute for Population Research and Social Welfare indicate that Japan’s population is expected to decline by about 30% by 2070. The prediction is that 4 in 10 people will be 65 years old or older.
Source: Terra
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