Analisis Faktor-faktor Utama 'Shoushika' (Angka Kelahiran Menurun) di Jepang dan Pengaruh Terhadap Penyerapan Tenaga Kerja Asing

Abstract

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the key factors driving the Shoushika (Declining Birth Rate) phenomenon in Japan and evaluate its direct impact on the policy for absorbing foreign workers (TKA) within the last 5 years (2020-2025). Japan's demographic crisis, characterized by a low Total Fertility Rate (TFR) and an aging population, has created an acute labor deficit, especially in essential sectors. Through an extensive literature review of 14 recent academic journals, it was found that the main factors of Shoushika include economic burdens (job insecurity and the high cost of child-rearing), socio-cultural factors (delayed marriage/bankonka and changing family values), and gender inequality (the double burden on women). The labor shortage resulting from Shoushika has directly prompted the Japanese government to reform its immigration policy, primarily through the introduction of the Specified Skilled Worker (SSW/Tokutei Ginou) Visa as the main mechanism for absorbing TKA. While SSW aims to fill labor gaps, its implementation faces challenges related to social integration, TKA exploitation issues, and ethical dilemmas concerning human rights, which are the focus of criticism in the academic literature. This study concludes that Shoushika is the primary driver of Japan's migration paradigm shift, although the TKA solution is palliative and requires a more holistic policy review.