Japanese firms skeptical govt can reverse falling birthrate

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TOKYO — More than nine out of 10 Japanese firms feel a sense of crisis about the country’s accelerating

birthrate decline, with few hopeful that Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s government can arrest a fall that is shrinking the country’s

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workforce and sapping consumer demand, according to a Reuters monthly poll.

Below are the questions and answers in the poll, conducted from May 10-19, for Reuters by Nikkei Research. Answers are denoted in

percentages.

Percentage totals for a given question may not come to exactly 100%, due to rounding. The “polled” and “replied” figures are in

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absolute terms. A total of 493 companies responded to the latest survey.

1. What is your reaction to the accelerating decline in Japan’s birthrate, with annual births dipping below 800,000 in 2022? (Pick one)

Feel a strong Feel a sense Not very Not concerned Polled Replied

sense of crisis of crisis concerned

All 41% 53% 5% 1% 400 235

Manufacturers 35% 59% 5% 2% 211 127

Non-manufacturers 49% 45% 6% 0% 189 108

2. Japan’s falling birthrate is expected to shrink the domestic market and make hiring more difficult. Do you see it having a negative

impact on your business? (Pick one)

Very negative Negative Not very Not negative Polled Replied

negative

All 23% 63% 12% 2% 400 235

Manufacturers 17% 67% 13% 3% 211 126

Non-manufacturers 30% 59% 11% 0% 189 109

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3. What measures are your companies taking in response to the falling birthrate? (Pick as many as apply)

Promoting Increasing child Company Fertility treatment Helping employees Other Polled Replied

childcare allowances nurseries subsidies, find nurseries and

leave additional leave baby sitters

All 92% 20% 6% 8% 7% 8% 400 221

Manufacturers 93% 22% 7% 9% 5% 5% 211 119

Non-manufacturers 90% 19% 6% 6% 9% 11% 189 102

4. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s administration has unveiled an initiative to tackle Japan’s falling birthrate. How do you feel about its

prospects? (Pick one)

Hopeful Pessimistic Undecided Polled Replied

All 14% 34% 52% 400 230

Manufacturers 14% 35% 51% 211 124

Non-manufacturers 15% 32% 53% 189 106

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5. How should the government fund its initiative to tackle the falling birthrate? (Pick one)

Raise Raise Raise Borrow Other Polled Replied

sales other national through

tax taxes health government

insurance bonds

charges

All 26% 28% 14% 18% 15% 400 221

Manufacturers 28% 23% 14% 21% 14% 211 121

Non-manufacturers 23% 33% 13% 14% 17% 189 100

6. Is your company using OpenAI’s ChatGPT artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot? (Pick one)

Using Considering Not using banned employees Polled Replied

using from using

All 3% 14% 81% 2% 400 239

Manufacturers 2% 10% 85% 2% 211 128

Non-manufacturers 3% 19% 77% 2% 189 111

7. For those indicating “using,” how is your company using ChatGPT? (Pick as many as apply)

Document Meeting Planning Programming Emails Translation Search Inquiry Data Other Polled Replied

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proofreading minutes proposals response analysis

All 51% 36% 36% 18% 21% 28% 44% 28% 21% 3% 400 39

Manufacturers 56% 38% 38% 19% 13% 25% 44% 31% 19% 0% 211 16

Non-manufacturers 48% 35% 35% 17% 26% 30% 43% 26% 22% 4% 189 23

8. For those indicating “not using,” why not? (Pick as many as apply)

Information Trustworthiness Have not created Other Polled Replied

protection rules for use

All 24% 33% 72% 13% 400 191

Manufacturers 23% 30% 76% 11% 211 108

Non-manufacturers 25% 37% 67% 14% 189 83

9. How are current business conditions at your company? (Pick one)

Good Not so good Bad Polled Replied

All 25% 65% 10% 400 241

Manufacturers 22% 61% 16% 211 129

Non-manufacturers 28% 70% 3% 189 112

10. How do you expect business conditions to be by the end of August? (Pick one)

Good Not so good Bad Polled Replied

All 23% 69% 7% 400 241

Manufacturers 20% 68% 7% 211 129

Non-manufacturers 27% 71% 3% 189 112

(Reporting by Tim Kelly; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)