国家级催婚：“单身税”要来了，影响有多大

Core Viewpoint - Japan is facing a severe population crisis, prompting the government to implement a new "Child and Childcare Support Fund" starting April 2026, which will levy an annual tax ranging from 2,400 to 12,000 yen (approximately 120 to 600 RMB) to subsidize families with children [3][5]. Group 1: Population Crisis in Japan - Japan's total population has been declining for 14 consecutive years, with the birth rate dropping below 700,000 last year, marking a new low [9][10]. - The Japanese population, excluding foreigners, has shrunk to 120 million, decreasing by nearly 900,000 in just one year [10][12]. - The country has the lowest birth rate globally and the highest aging rate, with a significant proportion of single individuals [13][14]. Group 2: Government Response and Historical Context - The new tax is perceived as a "universal fertility tax" rather than a "single tax," as it applies to all individuals who pay health insurance, regardless of whether they have children [5][6]. - Historically, various nations have implemented similar taxes on single individuals, including ancient Greece and Rome, as well as the Soviet Union, which had a "childless tax" until 1992 [6][7]. Group 3: Challenges in Stimulating Birth Rates - Despite over 66 trillion yen (approximately 3 trillion RMB) invested in fertility incentives over the past 30 years, Japan's birth rate has not improved significantly [19][24]. - Current support includes a one-time childbirth subsidy of 500,000 yen (about 25,000 RMB) and annual childcare subsidies of 120,000 to 180,000 yen for children aged 0-3 [20][21]. - The societal trend of declining marriage and increasing single-person households complicates the situation, with predictions indicating that by 2035, half of the population aged 15 and above may be single [17][26].