TOKYO , Japan ( CNN ) -- Even before one reaches the front door of Canon 's headquarters in Tokyo , one can sense the virtual stampede of employees pouring out of the building exactly at 5:30 p.m. Japan 's birth rate of 1.34 is below the level needed to maintain the country 's population . In a country where 12-hour workdays are common , the electronics giant has taken to letting its employees leave early twice a week for a rather unusual reason : to encourage them to have more babies . Japan is in the midst of an unprecedented recession , so corporations are being asked to work toward fixing another major problem : the country 's low birthrate . Tell us what you think . At 1.34 , the birthrate is well below the 2.0 needed to maintain Japan 's population , according to the country 's Ministry of Health , Labor and Welfare . Keidanren , Japan 's largest business group , with 1,300 major international corporations as members , has issued a plea to its members to let workers go home early to spend time with their families and help Japan with its pressing social problem . Watch more on this story . One reason for the low birth rate is the 12-hour workday . But there are several other factors compounding the problem -- among them , the high cost of living , and social rigidity toward women and parenting . In addition , Japan 's population is aging at a faster pace than any other country in the world . Analysts say the world 's second-largest economy faces its greatest threat from its own social problems , rather than outside forces . And the country desperately needs to make some fixes to its current social and work structures , sociologists say . The 5:30 p.m. lights-out program is one simple step toward helping address the population problem . It also has an added benefit : Amid the global economic downturn the company can slash overtime across the board twice a week . `` It 's great that we can go home early and not feel ashamed , '' said employee Miwa Iwasaki .
Japanese electronics maker Canon encourages workers to have more babies . Japan 's birthrate of 1.34 is below 2.0 needed to maintain its population . Country 's population is also aging faster than any other in the world .