Japan’s population drops by 800,000 in demographic crisis

admin 2023年12月1日

Beginner

world news, world news - beginner

Pre-reading questions:

I will read each question. Then, please answer them.

講師がそれぞれの質問を読むので答えましょう。

Do you think a declining population is a big problem that needs to be addressed immediately?
Does a declining population have a positive impact or effect?

Vocabulary:

I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me.

単語、意味、例文を読みます。講師に続いて音読しましょう。

foreigner /FAWR-uh-ner/

[noun] – a person who comes from another country
The city’s diverse population includes people from various cultural backgrounds, with many foreigners residing and working here.

border /BAWR-der/

[BAWR-der] – a line that has been agreed to divide one country from another
The river serves as a natural border between the two neighboring countries.

encourage /en-KUR-ij/

[verb] – to make someone more likely to do something, or to make something more likely to happen
The government’s tax incentives were designed to encourage businesses to invest in renewable energy projects.

despite /dih-SPAHYT/

[preposition] – without taking any notice of or being influenced by; not prevented by
Despite the rain, the outdoor concert went on as scheduled.

social /SOH-shuhl/

[adjective] – relating to society and the way people live together
The pandemic brought about significant changes in social behavior, with people adapting to new norms like social distancing and wearing masks.

Article reading:

Please read the whole article. Then, I will check your pronunciation and intonation.

記事を音読しましょう。講師はあなたの発音とイントネーションを確認します。

Japan is facing a big problem with its population getting smaller. Last year, over 800,000 people left, making it the 14th year of decline. Everywhere in Japan, except Tokyo, had fewer Japanese people. The main reason is that Japanese women are having fewer babies—only about 1.3 children each. This means not enough babies are being born to replace the people who die, so the population is shrinking.

Japan is trying to get more foreigners to live and work there. But because of COVID-19, it has been hard to do this, with borders closed and lockdowns. To meet its economic goals, Japan might need four times more foreign workers by 2040. But to make this happen, Japan needs to be more welcoming to migrants and accepting of foreigners. This population problem is also happening in other East Asian countries like China, South Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan. They need to encourage more people to have children despite high living costs and social issues. Solving this problem is important for the future of these countries.

True or False:

Read the sentences and identify if they are true or false based on the article.

文章を読んで、記事に基づいて正誤を答えましょう。

Japan’s population decline is due to an increase in the number of people leaving the country for economic opportunities elsewhere.
The population decline in Japan is primarily caused by a decrease in the number of births among men.
Tokyo is the only area in Japan that experienced a population increase, while the rest of the country saw a decrease in the number of Japanese people.
Japan’s population issues have been resolved, and the country no longer needs to focus on attracting foreign workers.
East Asian countries like China, South Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan do not face similar population challenges and have stable population growth rates.

Fill in the blanks:

Choose the correct word from the table then fill in the blanks.

適切な言葉を選んで空欄を埋めましょう。

foreigner

border

encourage

despite

social

During the pandemic, many countries decided to close their _______ to international travelers to control the spread of the virus.
The company offered bonuses to employees as an incentive to __________ higher productivity and performance.
She succeeded in her exam _______ not having much time to study.
Volunteering at the local community center is a great way to engage in ______ activities and give back to the community.
When traveling abroad, it’s helpful to learn about the local customs and traditions to avoid unintentionally offending the locals as a _________.