Family in Japan


 It was difficult to understand the Ted talk given about this topic because they did not silence the Japanese when they dubbed over the speaker with English so I couldn’t glean much information. But I know that she started off talking about the declining birth rate in Japan and I am aware of some of the problems with that. I think the work culture in Japan is often cited as part of the problem. Because people are so intensely worked, it does not leave them much free time to meet people outside of work and develop relationships that could lead to marriage, nor does it leave much room for time with kids. I’m not sure what the parental leave looks like in Japan but I imagine that it isn’t very good given the emphasis on working long hours in everyday life. I do know that when you have a baby, they Japanese government assists much more than the American government does. I’ve seen the care package given to new parents and it is extremely useful. Also, I know the hospital bills for having a child are a fraction of what they are over here, in an effort to encourage families to have children. I know that familial bonds are important in Japanese culture, as they are here, and the culture of treating people like family based on similar experiences is unique to Japan. I’m glad that Japan is becoming less overcrowded but I’m sure the declining birth rate has very worrying consequences as well, unfortunately. 

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