Japanese runner freezes eggs to chase motherhood dream

She joins growing trend Japan hopes will stem further declines in the birth rate

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Japanese champion runner Tomomi Bitoh completed a 170km race in the Himalayas last November and immediately made a beeline for a Tokyo clinic to begin freezing her eggs, hoping to keep alive her dream of becoming a mother.

The 33-year-old former childcare worker is one of a growing number of Japanese women joining in a trend the authorities in the world's most advanced ageing society hope will stem further declines in the birth rate.

"I have this big dream of becoming No. 1 in the world," said Ms Bitoh, who finished second among women in the 2021 Marathon des Sables, regarded as one of the world's toughest long-distance races. "I don't think that's something I can do 10 or 20 years from now after having a child. It's now or never."