Japan is considering a new approach to reversing its declining
birth rate paying for it. According to the Japan
Times, the government will soon begin discussions of extending
its public health coverage to childbirth. Japan has universal
health care, but that system's public insurance currently doesn't
cover most maternity costs. The Japan Times says the
average cost of childbirth in that country is 482 1000
yen or about$3100. This new proposal is intended
to counteract the decline in Japan's birth rates which Newsweek
says has been ongoing since 2015. The country's population
fell by nearly a million last year and this isn't
the only idea that's been brought up. CNN reported
earlier this month that Japan's government has been testing its
own dating app in Tokyo.