This analogy is sure to make Japanese women want to jump into bed.

Japan's 71-year old Health Minister compared Japanese women to "birth-giving machines."

Addressing Japan's declining birth rate the minister said "The number of women aged between 15 and 50 is fixed. Because the number of birth-giving machines and devices is fixed, all we can ask for is for them to do their best per head."

The knotheaded minister offered a lame apology - ''I'm sorry to call them machines" and "I hope they'll forgive me for saying machines."

Yup…just hit the forgive button on the machine and a "no, problem" will surely come out.

Women are asking "Why doesn't the minister think about why women are shunning having children? Instead, the men are asking where to apply the oil to make the 'machines' work better.

The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare revised downward its population estimate in December, projecting Japan's total population to fall to around 38 million from now to 89.93 million in 2055.

With encouragement from the likes of the Health minister, it could be worse.

What do you think?