The declining birth rate means a fall in the number of children. A total specific birth rate, the total ! number of children a woman bear during her lifetime, declined to 1.38 in 1998, breaking the record low level. A major cause of the falling birth rate is a rise in the number of unmarried women against a background of increasing burden on women resulting from their work and child-care. The declining birth rate is expected to have a serious effect on the economy and society as it leads to a decrease in the work force and an increase in the ratio of the elderly in the total population. It is important to look at this problem from the viewpoint that we must ease or remove women's burden of both work and child-care or child-care only, develop various environments where they can raise children free from worry, and build a society where they can have a dream and hope for their family and child-care.

From such a viewpoint, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare is promoting a series of measures against the declining birth rate. In consultation with other ministries and agencies concerned, the ministry worked out a "concrete plan to implement a priority measure for the declining birth rate (New Angel Plan) at the end of 1999. The ministry is also scheduled to set a target for the improvement of the child-care service and the mother-child health insurance medical care system by fiscal 2004 and to work toward that goal as planned. In the meantime, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare awards "Special grant for measures against the declining birth rate" (a total of yen200 billion budget for fiscal 1999) to support such efforts being made by the local governments according to the actual condition of the local communities. The ministry is also promoting an anti-declining birth rate measure designed to obtain a nationwide understanding and support by holding "National conference for the promotion of measures against the declining birth rate."

Furthermore, the ministry is conducting public relations to enlighten people on the joint responsibility of the father and mother for child-care and the importance and the joy of child-care through mass media such as posters, TV commercials and newspaper advertisements.