Article content
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
Article content
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
Advertisement 2
Article content
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
Article content
Advertisement 3
Article content
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
Advertisement 4
Article content
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
Advertisement 5
Article content
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)
Stay connected with us on social media platform for instant update click here to join our Twitter, & Facebook
We are now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@TechiUpdate) and stay updated with the latest Technology headlines.
For all the latest Business News Click Here
For the latest news and updates, follow us on Google News.
Comments
Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles. Comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site. We ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. We have enabled email notifications—you will now receive an email if you receive a reply to your comment, there is an update to a comment thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings.
Join the Conversation