Publication

Fifty years ago, women in Asia were having, on average, more than five children each, and there was widespread fear of "population explosion" in the region. Then birth rates began to fall - in several countries more steeply than anyone had anticipated. This unexpected trend has now raised concerns about the social and economic impact of extremely low fertility. Today, four of Asia's most prosperous economies - Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan - have among the lowest birth rates in the world.