Conflicting opinions on the "single's tax" in Japan.

VTV.vn - Japan has officially implemented a new social contribution, also known as the "single tax." This contribution has quickly sparked mixed reactions.

Japan has officially implemented a new social contribution, also known as the "single's tax."

Essentially, this is an additional contribution to health insurance to fund a child support policy, applicable to all workers, not just families with young children. Those earning 4 million yen per year pay approximately 450 yen per month, while those earning 10 million yen pay up to 1,000 yen. Controversy erupted when single people – who currently make up one-third of Japanese households – argued they were paying for a service they didn't use.

The Japanese government justifies this contribution as necessary for the sustainability of the social security ecosystem. The argument is that a society with a declining birth rate threatens the entire pension system and public services in the future. The children supported today are tomorrow's taxpayers, who will directly pay for the pensions of currently single people when they get old. Therefore, from the policymakers' perspective, this is not simply a service fee but a general investment in the nation's future.

However, opponents view this fee as a kind of "punitive tax" targeting individual lifestyles. They argue that the government is putting pressure on those who are not married due to economic pressures, stagnant wages, and rising living costs. Charging childless people to support those who do have children, without addressing the root causes of reluctance to have children, is seen as a symptomatic solution rather than a cure.

The emergence of a "single tax" highlights the impasse of population policies that focus solely on short-term financial gains. Experts argue that birth rates are more closely linked to women's career and educational opportunities than to small subsidies. If the government focuses too much on collecting fees from young and single people – those already struggling the most – it may inadvertently push even more people into single life out of fear of financial burdens. This creates a vicious cycle.

Japan's demographic problem cannot be solved with just a few hundred yen a month. It requires structural changes to corporate culture, wages, and work-life balance. Until those core issues are addressed, the "single tax" will remain a controversial topic, a testament to the high cost of an aging society, and a burden that seems to fall most heavily on the shoulders of the youngest and most solitary individuals.

Source: https://vtv.vn/y-kien-trai-chieu-ve-thue-doc-than-tai-nhat-ban-100260505163429063.htm