Biology compels most organisms to reproduce. But in Japan, something bizarre is happening — couples aren’t reproducing. The nation has one of the lowest birth rates in the world, and to make matters worse, it also has one of the highest life expectancies. It is expected that 40 percent of its population will be over the age of 65 by 2050.
Japan in recent years has also been shown to have the least sex on a weekly basis – only 34 percent of Japanese reported having sex on a weekly basis while a whopping 87 percent of Greeks were getting busy under the sheets.
Enter Yotaro, a charming “low-tech” robot. Yotaro cries, giggles, and kicks when you tickle him. He sneezes and his nose runs. When he is upset, he even shakes his rattle to calm down. But Yotaro is no human child — he’s a “synthetic”. Hiroki Kunimura, of the University of Tsukuba led the team who created the tyke. He states, “A robot can’t be human but it’s great if this robot triggers human emotions, so humans want to have their own baby.”
[…]
Then the research noticed the unusual reaction people had to the baby — they began to want to have children of their own. […] Project member Madoka Hirai said she never thought about having a child, but after Yotaro became baby preoccupied. She began to notice ads for baby clothes and think about what it might be like to have a baby of her own.
It’s amazing how exposure to dolls can affect your attitudes. Here’s the doll that convinced me NOT to have children…
http://starstore.com/acatalog/Chucky_Sideshow-15-l.jpg
Does it poop little batteries too?
Japan isn’t reproducing enough, or having enough sex huh…
I MUST TRAVEL THERE AND RECTIFY THIS SITUATION!!!!
“The nation has one of the lowest birth rates in the world, and to make matters worse, it also has one of the highest life expectancies.”
How is this a bad situation???
I have a baby, and yes. This does make me very glad I have a real one!
Isn’t it a LAW that there is only one child per couple? Why does this article act all surprised over this common knowledge, even Americans already knew?
Frag–you racist bastard. China has that law not Japan.
But to my just stated point on another post: Darwinian Psychology. Most of us are here today because our fore fathers and mothers WANTED kiddies. Those that did not, did not, and their kiddies are not here.
There is strong Darwinian Outcome Oriented tautologies, summarized as “sex drive,” that keeps all species going. Too bad it doesn’t reach more deeply into being “good parents” but all Darwin requires is survival to reproduction, a happy life has nothing to do with it.
Whatever happened to just using porn?
I’ve never seen a pregnant Asian woman. Have you?
What a creepy face on that toy baby.
# 9
“I’ve never seen a pregnant Asian woman. Have you?”
Yes, I have. However its a time when they blend in with an Occidental population that have a beer/McD belly, making for wonderful camouflage.
It highlighted a very important issue which is missed by large segments of academia and the news media. That in 50 years time a lot of the affluent western countries are going to become critically underpopulated.
It’s because their government turn the Japanese into workaholics. Who’s got time for sex or raising kids?
All this technology research to do what mass marketing already knows how to do. Japan just needs to run some ad campaigns, and create a compelling movie or two, that makes having sex and making babies the Hollywood equivalent of Luke Skywalker destroying the DeathStar. Or whatever. Or perhaps some nutty Tv contest shows. Which couple can have a baby, the fastest? Win prizes! No stupid surrogate robot baby required.
It won’t be a true example of a kid until it starts pooping, screaming and sucking all the money from your wallet
The problem is PORN in Japan. The guys have no clue what to do with a real women and climax before penetration. I thought everyone knew that.
They do realize that real kids don’t have an off button don’t they?
how can this creepy over sized head that glows “baby” inspire someone???
it’d run like hell from this thing..
This “thing” will not make me want to have babies…I don’t think there is anything in this world that can do that. No if you show me a little kitten…I just don’t seem to have any mother-instinct (or whatever you wanna call that)