Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Birth Planning in Japan

ABSTRACT

Japan has one of the lowest fertility rates of developed countries. The outbreak of the novel coronavirus caused Japan's low fertility rate to further decrease. The purpose of this study was to empirically elucidate what family characteristics have suppressed Japanʼs birth rate during the spread of COVID-19 and its relevant prevention measures. This study investigated the effects of the pandemic on birth planning using data from a survey conducted in 2020 with individuals in Japan aged between 25 and 44 years with a spouse and at least one child. Multivariate analysis showed that men with a low annual income and women who are not in the labor force significantly postponed planned births. The higher the percentage of couples sharing housework and childcare was, the higher the motivation for both the husband and wife to have an additional child. These results suggest that the pandemic has particularly suppressed additional planned births of socially disadvantaged households such as low-income households and socially isolated households due to the stay-at-home policy. Under these circumstances, the sharing of housework and childcare by a couple is an important factor that motivates couples to have an additional child.