'Remove uterus after women turn 30': Japan leader's bizarre population pitch sparks backlash
Japanese lawmaker Naoki Hyakuta faces backlash for suggesting women should have their uteruses removed at 30 to boost birthrate.
A Japanese lawmaker faces backlash after he suggested that all women in the country have their uteruses removed after 30 to push them to have babies and help reverse the declining birthrate in Japan.
Japan's Conservative Party leader, Naoki Hyakuta made the bizarre claim in a YouTube video where he discussed measures to increase the nation's birthrate as part of a broader discussion on the challenges Japan faces due to its ageing population
In his proposal, the minister also suggested banning women from getting married after 25 and using forced hysterectomies (removal of the uterus) at 30.
He said the strict timelines will push women to have children early and reverse the declining birthrate. He also pitched for restricting women's access to university education from the age of 18, so that they can focus on birthing babies.
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‘Science-fiction storyline’
The misogynistic idea was quickly dismissed by women across the country, forcing Hyakuta to apologise. In his apology, he clarified that his comments were were framed as a "science-fiction storyline" to help start a discussion on the falling birth rate.
He admitted that his opinions were "extremely harsh" and denied that he advocates for such drastic measures against women. "I meant to say that we cannot transform the social structure unless we do something that goes that far. I want to retract my remarks and apologise," he was quoted as saying by the South China Morning Post.
Japan's falling birthrate
Over the past few years, Japan's fertility crisis has been worsening, with the country struggling to address the challenges of an ageing population and shrinking workforce.
While the suggestion is bizarre, it's not the first of its kind. Similar proposals which offer incentives for women to marry men from rural areas have been suggested before and criticised as being tone-deaf and overly simplistic.
According to a report by the Japanese health ministry, Japan recorded 350,074 births between January and June, marking a 5.7 percent decline in population compared to the same period last year.
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