Why are fertility rates so low in East Asia? It's the society, stupid

Japan, South Korea and Taiwan need structural transformation

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South Korea, Taiwan and Japan -- three of the region's most advanced economies -- have some of the world's lowest fertility rates. © AP

Waka Ikeda is a Tokyo-based freelance journalist covering society, culture and the movie industry.

"It's the economy, stupid," was a popular political slogan coined by James Carville during Bill Clinton's successful 1992 U.S. presidential campaign. When it comes to fertility rates in East Asia, women are often blamed for not getting married or having children. But the reality calls for a more nuanced perspective: "It's the society, stupid."

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