Half of unmarried under-30s in Japan don’t want kids, says report.

A recent survey conducted by Rohto Pharmaceutical Co. revealed that around half of unmarried individuals aged 18 to 29 in Japan do not want to have children. The study, which involved 400 participants, showed that 49.4 percent of respondents cited economic concerns and the burden of parenting as the reasons for their decision.

According to the survey, 53 percent of men and 45.6 percent of women expressed disinterest in becoming parents. The results, released in late March, were the highest percentage in any of the last three annual pregnancy white paper surveys conducted by the Osaka-based company.

The survey was conducted online in January 2021 and was followed by government data showing that the number of babies born in Japan last year dropped below 800,000 for the first time since records began in 1899.

To address the issue of declining birth rates in the rapidly aging country, the Japanese government launched the Children and Families Agency in April 2021 to oversee child policies, including child abuse and poverty.

In addition to unmarried individuals, the study also included 800 married couples aged between 25 and 44. The company’s fiscal 2022 survey found that 48.1 percent of married men and women wishing to have children were cooperating with their partners’ fertility efforts. The figure marked a significant drop from 60.3 percent in the fiscal 2020 survey. A company official speculated that people are spending less time with their partners due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which may be contributing to the decrease.