Barbados, Japan share twin problems

cross continents, Japan and Barbados face the twin crises of declining birthrates and ageing populations that threaten to upend living standards.

“These are the two biggest problems,” frankly comments Former Yonago Mayor Ambassador Yasuo Nozaka as he shared his vast experience in public life with six journalists from the Caribbean and the Pacific Islands gaining insight on local development as part of the 2024 APIC Japan Journalism Fellowship being held in cooperation with the Foreign Press Center.

It’s a grim twist for the two countries that both have enviable numbers of centenarians and high life expectancy rates – 85.15 years in Japan and 79.78 years in Barbados, according to the United Nations.

The retired government official proudly pointed out that in 2023 alone, Japan had more than 95 000 centenarians last year. But over the years while in office, he observed the rise in elderly people with much concern.

Nozaka reflected: “At the peak, the Japanese population was 128 million in 2008. Since then, the number of Japanese has been decreasing and last year, the population of the Japanese was 121 million, seven million less.”

Japan Government data released just last month further revealed that the elderly population has hit a record 36.25 million.

The report by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications said the number of women aged 65 or older stood at an estimated 20.53 million, while the number of men of the same age group was 15.72 million.

Around 12.90 million people were aged 80 and over, accounting for 10.4 per cent of the population.

The latest data on births from the Ministry of Health show that births continue declining in Japan with the number falling in the first quarter of 2024 to 170 804, including babies born to non-Japanese parents, a decrease of 11 673 from a year ago.

Nozaka acknowledges that the impact of the ageing and declining population are serious with no quick fixes.

“Those two problems are very serious to municipalities because some municipalities may disappear in the future,” he cautioned.

“How to cope with both declining birth rate and ageing population and how to make economic development is very keen to the municipalities,” he said.

In Barbados’ case, the numbers are obviously smaller but no less stark.

Prime Minister Mia Mottley laid bare the grim reality of the challenge in recent months.

She told the country as the Barbados Population Policy Document was laid in Parliament in July: “This country has seen a declining population, an ageing population, a declining level of production as a result, and declining taxation. There will be consequential actions that flow from [the report], once we have heard where all of it settles, and those consequential actions will have far-reaching implications for the state of Barbados, and for the state of families and their way of life in Barbados.”

Based on 2021 census data, the resident population had fallen from 277 821 in 2010 to 269 090 in 2021.

It further revealed that the largest age group moving from 35-39 in 2000 to 55-59 in 2021. The median age has also increased from 37.3 to 42.5 over the past decade.

The Japanese government has implemented various measures to deal with the challenges, but so far they have not been effective according to Nozaka.

These include providing financial assistance for raising children, paternity leave and opening doors for highly skilled foreign workers.

“We are trying very much but still it hasn’t worked,” he acknowledged.

Nozaka welcomes moves to boost the economy with non-nationals pointing out that there are around three million citizens.

However, APIC Executive Director AmbassadorHidenobu Sobashima says while the government has relaxed immigration policies, strict entry requirements are still enforced.

“We still have a criteria for foreigners that can live in Japan. So we are not seeking simple labour coming in, we still have conditions. We have to strike a balance between allowing foreigners to come and encouraging Japanese people to give more work, so it’s a delicate question,“ he said.

The Barbados Government has proposed a frank discussion on immigration and migration as potential solutions to the crisis.

“We believe that this thing can be managed properly,” Mottley said, emphasising the need for a “very careful balance” in managing any influx of migrants or returning Barbadians.

She however cautioned: “This country certainly cannot continue to sustain the way of life and benefits it provides to its people, with a declining and ageing population.”

sandydeane@barbadostoday.bb