Aichi Prefecture politician: Distribute “punctured condoms” to increase population

What to do about Japan? Its population is aging and its birth rate is falling. That’s the double whammy and not a week goes by without some new farfetched plan being proposed by some idiotic politico.

Well, this one might just be the most outlandish one we’ve heard so far and the latest in a long, long line of gaffes by Japanese male politicians.

A member of the Shinshiro Municipal Assembly in Aichi Prefecture last month suggested a way to increase the Shinshiro City population. While nove, it is probably illegal and also just plain outright crazy.

Give out “punctured condoms” to married residents. Yes, distribute knowingly damaged contraception to “trick” couples into getting pregnant.

Needless to say this was met with criticism and last week independent Assemblyman Tomonaga Osada was told by the assembly’s Chairman that his comments “lacked dignity for an assembly member and consideration.” Osada then suffered the indignity of having his proposal not only rejected but actually deleted from the minutes of the June 18th meeting in which he made it!

Is that punishment or censorship? We’re not sure.

According to media reports, Osada is 49 years old and now into his third term as an Assemblyman at Shinshiro. The small city in Aichi has a population of 49,000.

Of course, the whole reprimand only happened in the first place because the public got wind and there was a bit of a brouhaha. Last week a Japanese Communist Party assembly member wrote about it in his blog on Monday and it soon went viral.

Osada said his motives were faultless. He just wanted the people of Shinshiro to “feel friendly toward City Hall.” His only hope was that the birth rate would be boosted but he apparently now accepts that puncturing condoms would be an “inappropriate” idea.