Cultural Shifts and Fertility Trends

Fertility rates can be significantly influenced by cultural shifts, as evidenced by Japan's transformation during the Meiji period. This period marked a pivotal change from an antinatal culture under the Tokugawa shogunate to a pro-natalist state campaign aimed at increasing birth rates. Strategies included the establishment of a police force to monitor pregnancies and policies promoting marriages, reflecting a societal recognition of the need for more workers. The results were substantial, with fertility rates in Japan rising dramatically from around three or four children per woman to six, demonstrating the profound impact of cultural impetus on fertility.