Abstract
This paper observes and analyzes labor supply behavior and work attitude of the youth and discusses the impact they may have had on the recent change in fertility rate in Japan. Various surveys show that a growing number of young workers have come to take atypical behavior in employment which differs in forms and attitude from the one seen in the traditional work place. Quitting and changing jobs, for instance, is easily conceived and practiced now than the old days. Regression analysis on the turnover function indicates that the change is not transitory but structural with different criteria about the job selection. It is rather clear now that the young people prefer nonpecuniary compensations, i. e, shorter working hours, to higher wages. The attitude toward work is changing clearly, too. The life style of the younger generation has become more leisure-oriented than work-oriented. The workaholic business world is not attractive and not everyone's preference anymore. The youth tend to take more individualistic view on work and jobs. The changes in the work behavior and life style of the youth may have affected the declining fertility rate. Under the influence of materialistic economic power, one seems to show a tendency to build a good single life and the utility of anything other than the pursuit of his/her own happiness becomes less important. Japanese youth marries late and the total fertility rate is 1.53 in 1991. This author sees, however, that the fertility rate in Japan will go upward gradually if and when the public and private sectors provide better environments to make child raising easier and as people will turn to see child bearing not from the rationale dictated in economics.
