It’s children’s day in Japan and the Koinobori – or carp flags – are flying. (The Japanese see the carp as one who perseveres in the face of struggle – a good symbol for children to aspire to.)

But children’s day also reminds one of how precious children are in this country. I don’t mean precious in the sense of ‘highly esteemed’ or dear and beloved. I mean precious in the sense that children are increasingly a rare and valuable commodity. According to a list of countries by Total Fertility Rate, Japanese women of childbearing age are expected to produce an average of just  1.21 children. That puts Japan at number 223 on the list of 228, sharing the bottom of the fertility rankings with South Korea, Singapore, Republic of Taiwan and Macau. Prosperity (wealth) is usually blamed (or credited) for bringing on a low fertility rate. (The wealthy western European countries also have low fertility rates.) As a people become richer, they must devote a greater share of their resources to raising children. This is a paradox – it looks like a contradiction. You might think that wealthy people can afford to raise more children, but it turns out not to be the case. Sometimes we wonder why people in poorer societies have so many children. But in those societies, children are required to increase a family’s income.

I do notice at least one exception to the rule. Thailand – with GDP per capita of only $3916 – has a fertility rate of 1.65. That’s lower than such highly-developed economies as Denmark, Norway and the USA, which has a fertility rate of 2.05. Thailand’s next-door neighbor, Malaysia has a GDP per capita of $5155 – but it’s fertility rate is 2.95.

So… Obviously the answer is more complicated.

What are your favorite reasons for why fertility rates rise or fall?

I live in Urayasu, Japan, a suburb near Tokyo. If you arrive at Narita Airport and travel to Tokyo by bus, you will pass through Urayasu. Most Japanese know this town as the home of Tokyo Disneyland. They are envious that I can see the Disneyland fireworks from my window.

I’m married and have two children – a teenaged son and daughter. My wife, Lek, is from Thailand. She teaches the Thai language in a nearby university. Our children were born here in Japan. They speak three languages. So we are a foreign family that has made our home in Japan.

I’m originally from the San Francisco Bay Area in California. When I was 11, we moved to the Napa Valley. It’s a famous wine growing region about 100 km north of San Francisco. My parents purchased land on a mountain, and we planted a vineyard. So I grew up on a farm, surrounded by grape vines, fruit trees and redwood forests.

Later I felt the “country life” wasnít for me. I moved to San Francisco after I graduated from university. But after one year of living in the city, I decided to take a big trip, backpacking around the world. At age 23, I took off for Australia, Indonesia, Thailand, Burma, India and Nepal. I was gone for about a year.

The trip to Asia changed my life.  As a result, I decided to pursue a career in teaching. I studied for a Masters Degree in Teaching English as a Foreign Language so that I could live and work abroad. In 1987, I moved to Thailand to teach in a Thai University. I met my wife in Thailand. After we got married, we decided to move to Japan. We came here in 1990.

So, I’ve been living in Japan for almost 20 years. This has been a wonderful place to live and work and raise a family. We plan to stay as long as we can.