Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has announced plans to overhaul the parental leave system, including a measure that will enable parents on leave to receive the same amount as their standard take-home pay under certain conditions, among other initiatives to tackle the falling birthrate.
At a press conference on Friday, Kishida stressed that he wanted to change the mindset of the whole of society. "The creation of a 'children-first society' will be a common goal in various policy measures," the prime minister said.
Births in Japan fell below 800,000 in 2022. Regarding the statistic, Kishida said, "If the trend continues, our country's economy and society will shrink, and it will become difficult to maintain the social security system and regional communities."
