Companies are urging employees to make more babies to fix Japan's low birth problem
Companies are urging employees to make more babies to fix Japan's low birth problem
Even before one reaches the Canon headquarters here, one can sense the virtual stampede of employees pouring out of the building exactly at 5.30 pm.
In a country where 12-hour workdays are common, the electronics giant has taken to letting its employees leave early twice a week for a rather unusual reason: to encourage them to have more babies.
Japanese corporations are being asked to work toward fixing a major social problem: the country's low birthrate.
At 1.34, the birthrate is well below the 2.0 needed to maintain Japan's population.
Keidanren, Japan's largest business group, with 1,300 major international corporations as members, has also issued a plea to its members to let workers go home early to help Japan with this pressing social problem.
One reason for the low birth rate is the 12-hour workday. Compounding the problem are factors like the high cost of living, and social rigidity toward women and parenting. In addition, Japan's population is aging at a faster pace than any other country in the world.
The 5.30 pm lights-out programme also has an added benefit: Amid the global economic downturn, companies can slash overtime across the board twice a week.
Meanwhile...Baby boom for American womanIn only the second time in US history, a woman here has given birth to eight babies, who are in a stable condition.
Dozens of medical workers in four delivery rooms helped welcome the healthy octuplets in only five minutes on Monday.
Karen Maples, an obstetrician/ gynecologist at the hospital said the babies were born premature by nine and a half weeks. They weighed between 1.5 lbs and 3.4 lbs.
The doctors and mother, who requested anonymity, had expected seven babies.
"It's easy to miss a baby when you have seven. Performing an Ultrasound is very difficult," said Dr Harold Henry.
The mother is planning to breastfeed all the children.
