Social security and the impact of the novel coronavirus on people's lives were the predominant themes addressed in this year's edition of an annual white paper released by the Health, Labor, and Welfare Ministry on Friday.
Citing a decline in marriages and pregnancies in 2020 due to lifestyle changes amid the pandemic, the report underlined concern that the spread of infections will lead to a decrease in the number of births.
The ministry also expressed concern about cognitive decline in the elderly as a consequence of reduced social interaction, along with an uptick in cases of domestic abuse.
As of May 2020, the amount of time women spent on housework and child-raising had increased by 11.7% -- exceeding the 3.6% increase among men -- compared to December of the previous year, the report said.
In terms of the pandemic's impact on employment, the ministry pointed to the expansion of employment adjustment subsidies and other safety nets as having prevented the rapid rise in total unemployment rates seen during the 2008 financial crisis.
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