I'm not sure to what extent the problem is due to economics and to what extent it's due to culture. I read recently that half of single men in Japan are virgins, which is quite staggering. Lots of Japanese people seem to have simply "dropped out" of the idea of having an intimate relationship, replacing that with video games and pornography.
When I lived in Japan, what struck me was how infantile and coddled the whole culture seemed: lots of "kawaii" anime everywhere, in advertisements, on product wrapping, etc. Signs everywhere telling you how to act (in grocery stores they have footprint markings on the floor to tell you what path to follow...). Grown men watching anime about little girls. I wonder if all this is creating a masculinity crisis in Japan.
Samurai were meant to be literally all about work with as little emotional tie to familly so that they are ready to die on command.
So you know, familly and kiss not being priority might not be shocking outcome of such culture.
That being said, why is grown man watching anime about girls something bad? Men were consuming entertainment with girls in it in many cultures ... heterosexual men don't naturally mind watching opposite sex, especially when framed cute or sexy.
The problem is it is not females as such they are watching but young teens and children. Japanese men seem to have a fear of adult women who are their psychological equals.
Something else I have read is that traditional Japanese marriage is very oppressive for women, and as new work opportunities have opened up in recent decades a large proportion of women have just decided to stay single.
In addition in recent decades there are few jobs for young men that would give them enough income to support a family.
Interesting that you frame it as a problem with the men and not the women - I'm not Japanese, but from what I've read, most Japanese men who regress, either by avoiding women or worse, see women as "not worth it". Why would they pursue women who don't seem to want or need them, act like men (rude, outgoing, and independent), don't want to have sex (God forbid children), and forgo traditions like marriage?
On one hand, being upset that women have financial independence seems fairly sexist. But on the other hand, if you're seeking affection and someone to raise your children and nobody is offering that, then ...
Basically it seems to me like both sexes are asking too much, while also being victims of the culture and the economy.
I think one of the main impediments to having children is just having space for them. You cannot have a child in a 40m2 apartment, and more is very hard to get in so many places. Certainly not for the people usually inclined to have babies (ie. the poor).
I don’t think that’s strictly true. Flavela housing is also smallish but that doesn’t stop reproduction. It’s more a cultural thing with many other contributing factors, like economic outlook, cost of living, etc.
It's not housing. It's basically lack of time. Japanese are allowed to work almost all of their waking hours. So they do. They pretty much have to because rent is on average always as high as people can afford. Not much time for anything else.
The last time Japan had a population close to replacement rate was 1974, with the population at 109.5m.
Japan will reach that population again in 2046, so maybe we can hope for a recovery by that stage?
Part of the solution certainly needs to be voluntary Euthanasia for the elderly. If you're above 80 and decide you've lived a good enough life, you should be free to go out on your own terms, even without a terminal disease.
When I lived in Japan, what struck me was how infantile and coddled the whole culture seemed: lots of "kawaii" anime everywhere, in advertisements, on product wrapping, etc. Signs everywhere telling you how to act (in grocery stores they have footprint markings on the floor to tell you what path to follow...). Grown men watching anime about little girls. I wonder if all this is creating a masculinity crisis in Japan.
Funny how they went from Samurais to this.