Tokyo, Japan (November 8, 2024) — Naoki Hyakuta, a well-known Japanese writer and leader of Japan’s Conservative Party, has come under intense scrutiny for comments he made regarding Japan’s declining birthrate, suggesting that women should face strict restrictions on marriage and reproductive options.
In a YouTube video released on November 8, Hyakuta suggested that to combat the country’s shrinking birthrate, women should be barred from marrying after age 25 and prevented from undergoing uterus-removal surgeries past the age of 30, sparking backlash across Japan and internationally.
Proposed Restrictions for Women
In the video, Hyakuta argued that these controversial policies, including barring women from attending college beyond the age of 18, could incentivize earlier marriages and higher birth rates. His statements, however, have drawn fierce criticism, particularly for their regressive views on women’s rights and bodily autonomy.
Hyakuta explained that his intention was to curb Japan’s declining birth rate, an issue the country has struggled with in recent years due to its ageing population and dwindling workforce. He also remarked that social structural changes might encourage women to prioritize childbirth if they were made to believe there was a “time limitation” on their reproductive choices.
These remarks follow prior attempts by Japan’s government to address the birth rate decline, such as offering incentives for women to marry men from rural areas, which were similarly criticized as simplistic solutions that overlooked deeper societal issues.
Backlash from Japanese Society
The reaction from various sectors of Japanese society has been swift. Politicians, activists, and public figures condemned Hyakuta’s comments, describing them as tone-deaf and regressive.
Actor Chizuru Higashi, quoted by the South China Morning Post, condemned the comments, stating, “The idea of taking away reproductive ability if you have not had a child by the age of 30 is terrifying, even as a joke. Besides, do you think that the declining birth rate is the fault of women? Women cannot get pregnant on their own, and they have no confidence about giving birth and raising children because their employment and income are not stable.”
Sumie Kawakami, an expert on gender issues and lecturer at Yamanashi Gakuin University, expressed similar dismay. Speaking with This Week in Asia, Kawakami noted that Hyakuta’s comments reflect a troubling degradation of political dialogue in Japan. “I cannot believe that a Japanese politician has said such a thing. I can only see these comments as a call to violence against women,” she stated.
Kawakami pointed out that misogynistic rhetoric, which had gained traction in countries such as the United States, was now permeating Japanese political conversations, posing a unique challenge as fewer Japanese women openly oppose such sentiments.
The leadership of the Conservative Party also distanced itself from Hyakuta’s comments. Takashi Kawamura, the party’s Joint Chairperson, expressed regret, saying he had asked Hyakuta to retract his statement. “I apologize on his behalf to the supporters of the Conservative Party and to the Japanese people,” Kawamura said in an interview with Fuji Television.
Kaori Arimoto, a senior party official who was present with Hyakuta during the YouTube program, voiced her own objections, stating that Hyakuta’s statements were “unacceptable, even as a ‘science fiction’ scenario.”
Apology and Clarification
Hyakuta addressed the growing backlash during a speech in Nagoya on Sunday, attempting to downplay his previous comments by stating that his suggestions were intended as hypothetical “science fiction” scenarios rather than serious policy proposals. “I will retract them and apologize, as there were people who found them unpleasant,” he said, adding that his remarks were “extremely harsh” and not indicative of his true beliefs.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Hyakuta further emphasized that his statements were not meant to be taken literally. He described his intention as merely to initiate discussion on the social and economic pressures affecting Japan’s birth rate. He argued that drastic social changes might be needed to reverse the birthrate decline but denied supporting extreme measures such as forced hysterectomies or prohibitions on women’s education.
However, the apology has failed to fully assuage critics. Issui Ogawa, a science fiction writer, spoke against Hyakuta’s comments, saying that the invocation of “science fiction” trivialized the damage his words caused. “I’m a science fiction writer, and I’m not amused that the grotesque idea of removing a girl’s uterus was described as science fiction,” Ogawa said. “I’m also unhappy at the idea of forcing her to marry and give birth—with penalties attached.”
Japan’s Fertility Crisis
Hyakuta’s remarks have reignited debate over Japan’s fertility crisis, as the country grapples with an ageing population and a declining workforce. According to The Independent, Japan’s birth rate for the first half of 2024 hit a historic low, with just 350,074 births reported between January and June—a 5.7 percent decrease compared to the same period in the previous year.
Japan has previously experimented with various measures to encourage population growth, including financial incentives for couples with children and policies aimed at increasing rural marriages. Nonetheless, many experts argue that fundamental issues—such as economic stability, workplace conditions, and childcare support—remain unaddressed, contributing to the ongoing reluctance among younger generations to start families.
Kawakami expressed concern that the backlash against Hyakuta’s remarks may not be enough to alter public opinion or political rhetoric in Japan. She noted that in contrast to countries like the United States, where there has been a vocal pushback against misogyny, fewer Japanese women feel comfortable publicly denouncing sexist ideologies. “A weaker response will just serve as an incentive to the chauvinists,” she warned, stressing that the societal risks posed by such remarks are significant.
