Introduction It is difficult to overlook the role of the family in the social organization of the Japanese family. However, this perception not only applies to the Japanese context because in most societies, the family is an important unit of social organization. Japan however provides an interesting scenario for understanding the effect of social and economic changes in the family structure. Some analysts say, “Social problems have created circular name-calling in Japan and conservative officials and policymakers have tended to lay these issues at the feet of families” (Katzenstein & Shiraishi 81). Certainly, despite the prevailing importance of the family in the Japanese society, the family structure in Japan is undergoing significant changes. These changes have consequently led to the emergence of new and unexplored family and societal dynamics. This paper explores the implications of the falling birth rates and the changing family structure as critical issues that may influence the future of Japanese families. Specifically, this paper explores the role that such social changes may have on the roles and attitudes of the Japanese people. This paper also explores the underlying factors that inform the falling birth rates to predict if the trend may change, or not. Projected Characteristics of the Future Japanese Family Youth Disempowerment In many societies, the role of the parents in shaping the lives of their children manifest as a critical component in the upbringing of youthful members of the society. This importance especially manifests because critical cultural and family values transfer through different generations (from the interaction between children and their parents). Hashimoto (cited in Ikels 195) has paid a special focus on the interaction between fathers and their children in Japan. He explains that Japan has a relatively low level of interaction between children and their fathers. Indeed, Hashimoto (cited in Ikels 195) says that when compared to Korea, United States, and Germany, Japanese parents are more likely to alienate their children by giving them less guidance on how to live their lives. For instance, some Japanese youth said their parents never taught them to be truthful (Ikels 195). Certainly, “The disengagement of Japanese parents from their children far exceeds that of Korea (never taught by father 27%; by mother 22%), the United States (never taught by father 22%; never taught by mother 21%), and Germany (never taught by father 42%; by mother 38%)” (Ikels 195). Therefore, compared to other children from other advanced societies like America, Japanese children learn very little from important figures of authority such as their parents or teachers. There is a significant potential implication of the disengagement of Japanese parents from their children. Besides the obvious lack of youth empowerment and its social consequence, the continued neglect and disengagement of Japanese parents from their children may significantly change the conventional Japanese family structure, which thrives on social hierarchy and ontological security (Bumiller 39). For a long time, this system has served to instill social obedience and inculcate a culture of social stratification to preserve the distinction between the youth and the older members of the society. However, with t