Friday Funny: Japan Cracks Down on Fun

According to Miwa Suzuki, "As the population declines, intolerance of children and the noise they make is increasing in a society growing less accustomed to hearing them, some child care experts say."

"While convenience stores blare electronic greetings and political candidates shout through high-volume megaphones at train stations, day care centers are putting up sound barriers to muffle the din that toddlers make, and sports clubs are restricting the times that youngsters can play outside to avoid upsetting the neighbors," says Suzuki.

“It’s a vicious circle: Fewer children makes people less accustomed to hearing the noise they naturally make, which spawns complaints about them and contributes to the growing feeling among younger parents that they don’t want to have more children,” said Masako Maeda, a specialist in population at Konan University in Kobe.