## [Reference] Regarding the Total Fertility Rate

The Total Fertility Rate Note $ ^{15} $ focuses on the birth conditions of a certain period of time (one year), limited to the women of each age (age 15 to 49) during that year and adds up the birth rate for each age. It projects the number of children a woman will have over her lifetime (Figure 1-1-25). This shows the “birth rate of that year”, excluding the difference in age range construct of the female population, and is used to make comparisons on a yearly, international, and regional basis.

Figure 1-1-25

Total Fertility Rate=Total of (Number of births by mother's age/population of Japanese women of that age on October 1st to present) for those ages 15 through 49

Sector Age	Population of Women A	Number of Births B	Rate of Births C=B / A
15	39,344	5	0.000127
16	40,106	36	0.000898
17	40,676	87	0.002139
18	41,811	17	0.000407
19	46,389	435	0.009377

46	51,558	9	0.000175
47	53,871	2	0.000037
48	59,589	2	0.000034
49	67,541	0	0
Total	1.240455

## Section 2

## The Affect of Population Decline on the Cities and Life in the Rural Areas

## The Awareness of Citizens Regarding Population Decline

As seen in the previous section, it is predicted that the population is going to rapidly decrease in Japan. Under such conditions, there is a rising sense of crisis regarding population decline among the citizens, and according to the public opinion survey conducted by the Cabinet Office in August 2014, over 90% of the citizens responded that “population decline is not desirable” (Figure 1-2-1).

On the other hand, especially in the Urban Areas, there seem to be relatively few instances in the daily life and cities where people live where citizens actually feel the effects of population decline, in comparison to the large number of people responding that “population decline is not desirable”. According to the questionnaire conducted by MLIT (hereafter “Public Awareness Survey”) $ {}^{16} $ , the ratio of those responding that they “have” or “have somewhat” felt the effects of

Figure 1-2-1

Awareness of Population Decline

Population decline is not desirable: 94.3%

Population decline is not desirable and efforts should be made to increase

Population decline is not desirable and the current level of population should be maintained

Population decline is not desirable and efforts should be made to lower the rate of decrease

Population decline is not desirable but cannot be helped

Population decline is desirable

It doesn't matter whether the Population Declines or increases

Do not know

(Note) The numbers have been rounded up so the totals may not match with the fractions.

Source) "Public Opinion Survey Regarding the Future Image of Japan's Population, Economic Society, Etc." by Cabinet Office

Figure 1-2-2

Note 15 The Total Fertility Rate explained here is “term” total fertility rate. Other than this, there is the “cohort” total fertility rate but, in general, in referring to Total Fertility Rate, the “term” total fertility rate is used, therefore the “cohort” total fertility rate is not explained here. For details, refer to MHLW’s website (http://www.mhlw.go.jp/toukei/list/81-1a.html).

Note 16 Conducted using internet in February 2015 with target population of all individuals in Japan. (3,000 responses).