Japan labors over 'birth' remark

[Barb]

So much for political correctness:

TOKYO, Japan (Reuters) -- Japan's top government spokesman said on Monday the health minister should stay in his post despite a furor over his reference to women as "birth giving machines," but pressure to resign looked unlikely to fade.

Link to story

The childfree wank over this should be starting on LiveJournal any second now.

 

[The Big Al]

The joys of living in a nation in a population decline. :/

 

[Archaic]

Last I looked, the Japanese seemed to be about to hit a birth rate of less than 1 child per family. It's a very politically incorrect comment, but I can understand why someone of his generation in Japan would make it, looking at statistics like that. It's a common belief amongst the elderly there that the young aren't doing their part to ensure the continuity of the population.

 

[Barb]

Does Japan have a one child per family policy like China?

 

[Dogasu]

Nope. In fact, I think China may be the only country in the world with that kind of restriction.

 

[birdboy2000]

It's true that their population decline is a problem... but the way to get over it is to get over the whole ethnic nationalism thing and make the country more immigrant-friendly.