The government has announced that beginning next year, Japanese citizens will be born only on 1st April each year. Women in the final months of pregnancy at the time will have birth induced, while babies born prematurely before 1st April will be denied citizenship and allowed to stay in Japan only as 'Special Permanent Residents' without voting rights or benefit entitlement. Women who become pregnant outside July will face fines of up to Y10m or, in the case of repeat offenders, custodial sentences.
Spokesperson Mina Onaji explained the rationale for the change. "This will benefit Japanese industry by allowing companies to streamline record-keeping, and by aligning with the academic year and employment practice," she said. "It will also strengthen national unity by reducing childrens' regrettable propensity to imagine they're different from each other."
Public response to the proposal has been mixed. "It'll be easier to remember birthdays," said newlyweds Kei and Junko Tanjobi, "but every kid in the neighbourhood will want a party on the same day. We'll have to organise some kind of rota."
Other people have been more enthusiastic, however. "I think this is great," said company employee Sho Ganai, 41. "If I can convince my wife that the risk of pregnancy is too great, then I won't have to have sex with her at all. Then I'll be able to spend even more time at the office."
