Declining Japanese Birthrate: A Nation in Need of Hope

In an effort to put some order into my blogging efforts, I’ve decided to initiate a theme for each day of the week. I think this will encourage me to be more consistent in my postings. It’s just that I have so many ideas about what to write about, that when I actually have a few minutes to sit down and write, it takes me a while to figure out which idea to start with. Then, my brief moment of respite is interrupted, and all I’ve managed to write is a list of ideas.

So, Saturday is officially proclaimed as Karie’s Blog World and Local News day. I’d like to take one or more news items that made the biggest impression on me during the week and write about them. I have to confess though, I haven’t read the newspaper all week. I’ve only watched the news briefly, so I’m not very up on what’s going on this week. I did see the disturbing images of rioting and destruction after the Palestinian elections. I’m very concerned about Hamas terrorists gaining control through this election. This is a reminder to pray more than ever for the “peace of Jerusalem”.

I read an article in World News Magazine http://www.worldmag.com about the declining birthrate in Japan. Apparently, for the first time since World War II, the nation’s death rate outpaced its birth rate. The decline in births is attributed to several factors, including young people waiting longer to get married. The most significant factor seems to be a general feeling of pessimism about the future. Loss of hope for a brighter future is causing many Japanese couples to forego having children. Japan is a nation in need of hope.