Have a baby and you can walk away with this brand new phone: deal or no deal

Technology has made everything easier.

Apparently even having a baby.

While technology might not be helping with the actual conception; it seems that technology may be an incentive for families in Japan to start having children.

Facing a rapidly aging and shrinking population, Japan's high-tech and high-profile companies are stepping up to the plate and offering workers "baby bonuses" in the form of cash and cell phones.

According to reports, the government and corporate sector are making wild efforts to increase Japan's declining birth-rate by offering cash, free services and electronics to encourage people to have children. Canon, Sharp and Panasonic have reportedly started handing out financial aid for working mothers and cover costs for fertility treatments and Telecom firm Softbank is also giving cash bonuses and free cell phones (call costs included), among other electronics.

While I applaud the fact that an entire country is focusing on the importance of family, I find it a little desperate to think that I'd take someone up on a free phone to have a child. Plus, I need to meet the woman (or man) who gets to use a phone when there's a baby in the house? How about a free nanny?

For another take on this issue, see Jonathon's post at our sister site, ParentDish.