MP says single women in Japan 'burden on the state'

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A member of Japan’s ruling party is coming under fire for remarks he made telling young women to have at least three children or else the taxes paid by other people’s offspring will cover their elderly care in nursing homes.

Kanji Kato made the comments on Thursday during a meeting of the Hosoda faction of the Liberal Democratic Party.

“I always tell brides and grooms at wedding parties that I would like them to have three or more children,” he said. “We need three or more children from those people to make up for couples who cannot bear a child no matter what they do.”

The 72-year-old also implied that it would be unfair if women with no children were cared for at nursing homes funded by other people’s taxes.

In 2017 about 941,000 children were born in Japan, the lowest number since records began in 1899. /Reuters

Record low birth rate

Kato’s controversial remarks come just days after official figures showed the number of children in Japan fell to its lowest on record. As of April 1, 2018, there were 15.53 million children aged under 15, a fall of 170,000 from the previous year, according to the internal affairs ministry.

Last year, 941,000 children were born in Japan, the lowest number since 1899.

Japan’s birthrate remains stubbornly low despite the introduction of financial and other incentives to encourage couples to have bigger families.

According to the UN demographic yearbook, among 32 countries with a population of 40 million or more, Japan at 12.3 percent ranks lowest in terms of the percentage of children in the overall population.

A Japanese family / Reuters

Kato clarifies his remarks

After the meeting, reporters asked Kato if he intended to amend or retract his “advice” to women.

Kato refused.

“Improving the birthrate is the most important issue facing our nation. That is all,” he said.

But that evening Kato issued a statement: “I apologize if my words gave the wrong impression. Although I never intended to discriminate against women, I retract the remarks I made because they could have been interpreted as such.”

(With input from news agencies)

(Cover photo: Japan MP Kanji Kato /Reuters)