East Asia's Plummeting Birth Rates Challenge Societies to Support Families

Birth rates in East Asia are the lowest in the world and continue to decline, leading to aging populations and shrinking workforces.

Governments have tried to address falling birth rates by offering financial incentives for having children, but these have not been effective.

Possible reasons for low fertility include high costs of living and childcare, work pressures, and cultural shifts.

Some companies have started offering benefits like bonuses and childcare stipends to encourage employees to have kids.

There are no quick or easy solutions; societies may need to tackle issues like youth unemployment and make broader changes to improve work-life balance.