Desire for second child in Japan falls to record low as costs rise: survey

TOKYO -- A recent survey by Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance Co. reveals that the desire among Japanese parents to have a second child has plummeted to a record low of 28.2%. This significant decline in parental desire for a second child stems from rising costs and worries about household income, factors believed to be fueling Japan's declining birth rate.

The survey, conducted in September among 1,100 parents with children aged 6 or younger, is the ninth such poll since 2018. In 2020, the proportion of parents wanting a second child peaked at 56.9%, shortly after the government made kindergarten and daycare fees free for children aged 3 and above. However, this figure has declined six years in a row, reaching 28.2% this year, less than half its 2020 peak.

Among respondents who still want a second child but find it difficult, 54.5% attribute this to concerns about future income. Despite these concerns, 66.4% of respondents say they would consider having another child if their circumstances changed. Income increase was cited as a key factor encouraging another child by 60.4% of respondents, while 22.9% pointed to easing inflation.

Kazutaka Maeda, a senior economist at Meiji Yasuda Research Institute Inc., attributes the difficulty in having another child to the escalating costs of everyday childcare necessities, such as diapers and baby food. He notes that while real wages are increasing, people are not feeling the improvement in their daily lives.