Fire horses set to impact Japan's birthrate further?

I think living here as an expat has made me aware of various superstitions that shape people's real-life decisions, often in ways that feel unfamiliar. One of the most striking examples is the Year of the Fire Horse, or hinoe uma, which comes around every 60 years and returns in 2026. This time, it arrives when Japan's birth rate is already at historic lows, and it raises questions about whether this old belief could further dent the already shrinking population.

Something I didn't know before living here is that the zodiac isn't just the familiar 12 animals. Each animal also pairs with one of five elements, creating a 60 year cycle. That is why babies born in 2014 (like my daughter!) were "wood horses", while those born in 2026 will be "fire horses". The fire horse carries a particularly heavy stigma, especially for girls. A long-held belief claims women born in this year are strong-willed, difficult, and prone to unhappy marriages, and the superstition has previously influenced national birth trends.

From an Australian perspective, this feels almost surreal. People back home might joke about timing births around school cut-off dates or seasons, but avoiding childbirth because of astrology would be seen as pretty bonkers.

Do you have any birth year superstitions in your home country?