The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly affected our lives in the past several years. Now, we seem to be returning to normal life, but the influences remain. The total fertility rate is at its lowest level in history, and the number of deaths that declined in the first year of the pandemic has since reversed, making it unclear whether Japan will ever return to its pre-coronavirus super-longevity society. How to normalize social security spending, which has unprecedently inflated due to the pandemic, is also a major issue.
Meanwhile, if we turn our eyes to the world, declining fertility and population ageing, or increasing number of older persons are spreading worldwide. Even the global level population decline is anticipated within this century. International migration, which had stalled due to the coronavirus, is becoming active again. Global conflicts, economic crises, global climate change and increasingly felt disasters are also having a significant impact on people's lives.
Considering these Japanese and international situations, the National Institute of Population and Social Security Research (IPSS) aims to create a sound knowledge base out of accurate data and evidence related to population and social security, to facilitate well-informed decisions to support people’s lives. IPSS was created in 1996 by merging the Institute of Population Problems, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, established in 1939, and the Social Development Research Institute, established in 1965. Population problems change over time, and social security systems and policies change accordingly. Currently, in the Reiwa era, with continuous fertility and population decline, our researchers have to respond to questions such as how to create an environment fit to have a family and raise children, how to respond to the population and household change, which differs from region to region, how to support people with difficulties, or how to achieve the healthy and active ageing.
As the international situation changes, Japan, which was once said to be closed to foreigners, is undergoing major changes. The number of foreign residents in Japan reached an all-time high of 3.22 million in June 2023, and comprehensive measures for acceptance and coexistence of foreign nationals are being implemented. Promoting international migration is important for revitalizing society, and population decline helped form those policies. Under these circumstances, starting in April this year, IPSS has set up a new division to advance research on international migration.
Japan is notorious in the world for being gender insensitive and unequal, but for the first time, IPSS is headed by a woman. We are on our way to innovating society from the old model where even the term “gender” was taboo.
If we only look at Japan's ‘working age population’, defined by age groups such as 15 to 64 years old, it has decreased significantly, but the number of people actually working has increased in recent years. This is due to the increase in the labour force of women, older persons, and immigrants. Without the challenges of lowering fertility, population ageing and decline, this kind of social change may not have been possible. It is important to face challenges head-on, respond to them one by one, and look to the future without being overly pessimistic. We must find cross-disciplinary solutions to various issues related to social security and population issues. In order to widely disseminate our research results, we are in the process of renewing the Institute's website, but we value your feedback and will continue to conduct research that is open to society. I sincerely hope for your continued support and cooperation.
HAYASHI Reiko
Director-General
National Institute of Population and Social Security Research
