Quote:
Originally Posted by SeijiSensei
Reflections on Japan's Baby Shortage
She recommends three policy changes, none of which strike me as politically feasible:
1) Expand the number of publicly-subsidized daycare centers. The estimated cost of raising a child in Japan is over $70,000 for just the first five years, 2.5 times the figure in the US. This is perhaps the only suggestion that I could see having some political leverage, but can it be sold to an increasingly aging population if it means taxing them to pay for young parents' needs?
2) Replace promotion by seniority with promotion based on skills. This seems especially implausible given the nature of Japanese society and its industrial culture.
3) Expand incentives for women to return to the labor force after childbirth. This seems like a non-starter to me as well.
Of course, there is always the fourth option of expanding immigration, but the odds of that happening seem even less than any of the other alternatives. If the LDP requires the support of guys like Ishihara to forge a majority coalition in the Diet after this election, I see no chance for a more open immigration policy.
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Point number 1: I don't think we'll have a choice there. Something radical has to be made and the system has to be changed in order to support new parents. Daycares near or within working places is not something new and it's usually something very welcome for all workers within a company. If we push social policies further: the Swedes managed to create a system in the 1970s in which parental leave can be extended to a maximum of 16 months, paid to 80% of the salary lost in that time and it favours both men and women to take their share of responsibilities as parents. I keep on saying that family policies should be inspired by what is done in Scandinavia where they were confronted with ageing populations once.
Point number 2: that would be quite the most difficult part considering the mentality. However, it only requires a group of people with enough charisma to lead the charge and force the clash of generations that is due once in a while.
Point number 3: dunno why it would not be feasible. If you change your paradigm into something based on a 2-parent model for parental leave, women would see advantages in coming back to work. I think this kind of policy change has to be combined with what is proposed in 1).
About today's election, the prospect is really not optimistic at all. I wish there could be someone, male or female, who'd be able to find a way to "shake up the supporting columns/pillars of the temple" in order to change the picture of politics in Japan.
P.S. IMHO, Toru Hashimoto committed a fatal mistake by allying himself with that twat ishihara. Shame on him forever!
