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In recent years, modern Japan has been increasingly troubled by the serious issues of late marriage, non-marriage, and declining birth rates. Although various fertility and child-rearing subsidy policies have been introduced by both central and local governments, the results have not been significant. In this context, Japanese society is widely discussing whether there is a need to break through traditional thinking and introduce innovative subsidy policies.
Recently, a measure in Okayama Prefecture, Japan, has sparked widespread discussion: The prefectural government announced it will fund the hosting of “class reunions” as part of its strategy to address the declining birth rate.
The Governor of Okayama Prefecture stated, “Late marriage and remaining unmarried are the fundamental reasons for Japan’s declining birth rate.”
He hopes that through such policies, he can reduce the regrets of those who think, “If only I had married earlier.”
He believes that early marriage and early childbearing are not only beneficial for personal happiness but also have a positive impact on social development.
Last year (2023), Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced the launch of “extraordinary measures to address the declining birthrate” in an attempt to alleviate the issue. However, until now, the central government has not implemented any substantial measures, leading many citizens to question the government’s slogan.
However, Okayama Prefecture seems genuinely determined to implement an innovative measure to combat declining birth rates by funding the organization of alumni associations!
The reason for launching this policy is that the governor believes that despite being full of opportunities for romance during school, many people lack the courage to pursue love, leading to a gradual estrangement from their crushes after graduation, even losing contact, resulting in a lifelong regret.
By subsidizing the organization of alumni associations, we provide an opportunity for old classmates to reunite, hoping to rekindle past romances or discover the new charms of certain classmates, thereby increasing the marriage and birth rates.
Currently, this subsidy is first distributed by various townships and is then subsidized by the county government to these townships, with the beneficiaries being people under the age of thirty.
This unprecedented policy to address declining birth rates has sparked heated discussions across Japan. Whether online or in political commentary programs, people are debating whether class reunions are truly effective in boosting marriage and birth rates.
Supporters believe that “class reunions can serve as an opportunity.”
If the issue of declining birthrate can be improved, then these newly added children will become sources of tax revenue in the future.
However, there are also opponents who are concerned about the potential for abuse of the system, and some even worry that it might lead to an increase in adverse events.
Despite the mixed opinions from the public regarding the effectiveness of this subsidy policy, the practice in Okayama Prefecture of allowing each town and village to independently establish subsidy rules has also been criticized as overly complex, leading to significant variations in implementation across different areas.
For example, the subsidy rules in Nairi Town stipulate that the beneficiaries are graduates of elementary or junior high schools in the town, with each participant receiving a subsidy of 1,000 yen each time (with a total limit of 30,000 yen). The alumni association must hold the event within Nairi Town, and there must be at least 20 participants, with at least 30% of them residing outside Nairi Town.
In addition, we need to assist in promoting or conducting a questionnaire about moving to Nairi Town at the alumni meeting.
So, do you all think that frequently holding alumni meetings is really effective in promoting marriage and childbirth?
Can these measures really bring a turning point to the issue of declining birth rates? It’s worth our continued attention and discussion.
