Is the reason for falling birth rate because the young adult generation can’t afford anything let alone to have children, like over here in the West?
Yes, it’s one of the reasons, but unfortunately not the only one. This issue is slightly more complex. It is also slightly older than the current economic situation. Japan’s declining birthrates have started in 2011. This didn’t happen all by itself, of course.
In the 90s, the Japanese government made the questionable decision to promote wider use of temp and contract workers, which in turn led to people having less stable jobs. Because of this, these workers were seen less attractive as a partner, so, fewer couples. Then the recession hit, which didn’t help things.
Then there’s also the Japanese government’s long-standing anti-immigration stance. Immigration might have helped with the birth rates, but nobody in their government seems to be willing to give this a chance. Childcare facilities are also lacking in some places, making the idea of having a child highly undesirable.
And I’m only scratching the surface. Wikipedia has a more in-depth article on the whole situation, but be forewarned, it’s fairly long:
Most likely, though isn’t Japan in the birthrate demographic crisis for like 2 generations by now? Those things usually do settle down after single generation unless the situation is going even worse all that time.
