Japan's Population Crisis: Rural and Urban Communities Struggle to Survive.

Japan is facing a population crisis as the number of births has hit a record low and the fertility rate has fallen to 1.3, far below the 2.1 required to maintain a stable population. The country is also facing a critical labor shortage in industries like agriculture, forestry, and farming as younger residents leave rural areas for the cities. The government is trying to address the issue by subsidizing egg freezing and offering a state-sponsored dating service powered by AI. However, the cultural taboos surrounding fertility and patriarchal norms that work against mothers returning to work remain a challenge.