Professor Yusuke Narita of Yale University in the United States caused controversy in 2021 by putting forward the idea that the only way to deal with Japan’s rapidly aging population is through mass suicides of older adults. This idea has met with strong opposition and has been seen as inhumane and cruel.
Low birth rates and an aging population have been problems facing Japan for decades. According to the World Bank, the country has a very low fertility rate, with only 1.3 births per woman, which is far below the world average of 2.3 births per woman. In addition, the country has the highest public debt in the world.
Last year, Japan saw its population fall by more than 600,000 people due to declining fertility rates and an aging population, which has been repeated for eleven consecutive years. The elderly population in Japan is the highest in the world, and the percentage of the population over the age of 65 has increased steadily since the 1950s.
Professor Narita has claimed that his proposal was not presented in the best way and that his words were not carefully selected at the time he spoke about his idea. However, he insists that it is the “only option” they have to address the declining and aging population. Narita has also advocated for euthanasia in Japan, where this medical procedure is not yet decriminalized. He has stated that assisted suicide should be mandatory in certain cases and mentioned his mother as an example in the discussion.