In the 2002 edition of its annual "State of World Population" report, the United Nations Fund for Population Activities, or UNFPA, emphasizes that eliminating poverty and reducing the birthrate by raising the educational level of women will curb the population explosion, shrink the gap between rich and poor and lead to economic development. It calls on countries to take quick action to reduce the number of people living in poverty in developing countries.

The UNFPA's basic understanding is that much of the population increase in developing countries is caused by poverty, inferior health conditions and a high birthrate. In order to eliminate poverty, support is necessary to prevent unwanted pregnancies and raise the literacy rate. Japan, of course, must make positive efforts to help overcome these problems by coordinating the activities of government, private companies, nongovernmental organizations and others, and by providing official development assistance.

According to the report, the population of the world in 2002 was 6.2 billion, with the average annual rate of increase at 1.2 percent. This means that in 2050 the world population is expected to reach 9.3 billion. Japan's population is 127 million. Because of a falling birthrate, it is expected to decline to 109 million in 2050. Given this trend, one might be tempted to think that the rapid increase in world population is not Japan's problem. The phenomenon is closely related to our lives, however, because there is a strong possibility that the world population explosion will change the form of international economic activity and worsen the living environment. Japan, therefore, should strengthen international cooperation in this area by making an appropriate response.