Understanding fertility policy through a process-oriented approach

The case of Japan’s decline in births

Datos Bibliográficos

ID12644954
AutoresYasuo Takao (0000-0002-8425-8476, Curtin University, autor de correspondencia)
Año2024
Volumen41
Número2
Fecha de publicación2024-05-18
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaJournal of Population Research (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 1443-2447 • E-ISSN: 1835-9469
EditorialSpringer Science+Business Media (PUBLISHER • DE)
DOI10.1007/s12546-024-09333-2
OpenAlexW4397044834
IdiomaEN
Referencias citadas21

This article examines Japan’s policymaking capacities necessary to address the issue of low fertility, while harnessing the process-oriented theories of policy studies. The author asks why Japan’s policy to increase fertility has not worked as well as some other countries whose efforts have proven more successful. The focus of this study is on process-oriented capacities, which can be defined as an ability of actors involved to avoid conflicts and cooperate on solutions at each stage of the policy cycle. To explore these capacities, or the preconditions for enabling policy options available for the actors, the policy process is investigated using process tracing observations for causal inferences drawing on governmental data, insights from policymakers, comprehensive literature reviews, and pertinent news reports. The author contends that the involvement of broker-entrepreneurs, who recognize opportunities and navigate obstacles, plays a pivotal role in preventing conflicts among stakeholders. Nevertheless, empirical data indicates that merely sidestepping conflicts does not necessarily enable policy effectiveness

Fertility · Population · Process (computing · Sociology · Computer Science · demographic modeling and climate adaptation · Demography · Intergenerational Family Dynamics and Caregiving · Social Policy and Reform Studies