Singapore PM Lee urges couples to have babies in Year of the Dragon

Leader suggests adding 'a little dragon' amid record-low fertility rate

A 40-meter dragon sculpture hangs from the roof of a shopping mall in Singapore on Feb. 7. "Many Chinese families consider a child born in the Year of the Dragon to be especially auspicious," Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said. © Reuters

TSUBASA SURUGA, Nikkei staff writer

February 9, 2024 15:43 JST

SINGAPORE -- Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong urged families to have more children in his Lunar New Year address on Friday, as the city-state grapples with a historically low birth rate.

"Many Chinese families consider a child born in the Year of the Dragon to be especially auspicious, the dragon being a symbol of power, strength and good fortune," Lee said of the upcoming year on the lunar calendar. "So now is as good a time as any for young couples to add a 'little dragon' to your family."