DEMOGRAPHIC RESEARCH IN JAPAN, 1955-70 : A SURVEY AND SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY

During the postwar period, Japan experienced the inevitable baby boom, at the same time the nation"s death rate was rapidly declining as a result of public health programs. The difference between increased fertility and reduced mortality resulted in the highest population growth rates, from natural increase, in Japan"s history. By l955, the necessity of restricting population growth had become obvious to the Japanese. Having experienced this postwar baby boom in the midst of a depressed economic situation, couples were strongly motivated to limit their families in order to realize their aspirations for a better life. Thus, it was people, not the government, who first took steps to restrict family size. This document consists of an overview of indigenous demographic research in Japan during the period 1955 to 1970, followed by a selected bibliography of works by Japanese authors. Topics covered in the overview section include a discussion of research institutions, recent trends in demographic research, demographic studies, fertility, mortality, population and the economy, and the past and future in terms of demographics. The author notes that population growth in Japan is essentially under control, with an annual rate of natural increase stabilized at about 1.1% per year. With an increasingly educated, affluent, and urbanized population, Japan ranks among the world"s most highly industrialized nations. Japan"s demographic concerns now relate to regional imbalances, manpower deficiencies, and social welfare. For this reason, the focus of demographic research is shifting from the national population as a whole to specific segments of the population. The bibliographic section of the report is preceded by a subject index and includes 373 entries.