(no subject)

[frandroid]

Japan hopes for male heir [thestar.com]
Somehow everyone thinks that if the royals have a boy,
"the royal baby would encourage young couples to have their own children as well.''

AKA come on women, we need your vehicle to replicate our Y-chromosomes!

The heightened baby talk comes as Japan is consumed by debate over how to remedy the country's slumping birthrate. Japanese women now have a record-low average of 1.25 babies in their lifetime, and the population started dropping for the first time last year. Many fear the trend will lead to labor shortages, a damaged economy and failing pension and health care systems.

Kinda sad that immigration is not even mention, even just to shoot down the idea. Sorry, we have a population problem, but god forbid we let any foreigners come in on anything else but a work visa. We're more scared of your filthy germs than we are interested in remaining the world's richest country.

Comments

[jokrack.livejournal.com]

Immigration HAS been mentioned, but they're overwhelmingly against it, to the extent that they're seriously considering making robots capable of nursing the elderly, rather than letting skilled immigrants in to do it. BAH!

[frandroid.livejournal.com]

I meant in the article's closing paragraph. I know they actively don't like foreigners sticking around for longer than teaching English and starring in their ads 8)

Speaking of which, did you see much of the ballyhooed "ohhh Hoolywood stars do ads in Japan" ads?

[jokrack.livejournal.com]

Yup. There were TONS of big-name Hollywood actors selling coffee, cars, etc. Hilarious!

[tovegirl.livejournal.com]

I took a geography of immigration class a few years ago... we talked briefly about japan. apparently they have opened up their immigration very slightly, and (at the time) were strongly encouraging ex-pats to return. or even anyone with a drop of japanese heritage.

but no whiteys.