Re: Falling birth rates don’t have to be a crisis. Just look at Japan.

The Washington Post published an op-ed arguing that low fertility rates aren’t all bad. We responded with a letter to the editor, which wasn’t published, so we are featuring it here.

We encourage all our members and supporters to make their voices heard! See our media guide for advice on how to do that.

Thanks to James Pethokoukis for pointing out that low birth rates and depopulation can have significant economic upsides too. A much-needed antidote to the barrage of alarmist “population collapse” and “fertility crisis” headlines. Indeed, small family sizes have become the established norm across the Global North, and governments should focus on adapting economies to this new reality instead of just stubbornly throwing money at ineffective pronatalist policies.

Mr. Pethokoukis mentions Japan’s rural depopulation – it’s worth pointing out that this is happening not just because people are having fewer children, but because they are moving where the work is, mainly the big cities. Nobody living in densely-populated Tokyo, Yokohama or Osaka is complaining about a people shortage. If more companies enabled remote work (in Japan and elsewhere), surely millions of workers would gladly exchange cramped apartments and overcrowded streets for a quiet home in the countryside.

Let’s also not forget the environmental advantages of reduced population pressure. We simply cannot tackle our ecological crises, from climate change to biodiversity loss to resource depletion, without ending global population growth. People intentionally choosing smaller families is the best possible way to get there, so let’s embrace it instead of fighting it.

Sincerely,

Olivia Nater
Communications Manager
Population Connection