Monday, September 12, 2016

Japanese population is approaching the turning point

Japan’s population is going to dwindle soon, according to researchers.


It has been expected that Japan will encounter this turning point for a couple of decades. Decreasing population is straightly connected to declining of the national power. Therefore, the Japan government has been keen to address this issue. In 2007, Abe administration developed the Minister of State for Measures for Declining Birthrate against the recent domestic tendency of low birth rate. Not certainly to be thankful for this measure, the birth rate is slightly increasing in recent years.


However, it is not relieving at all. Even if the birth rate is doubled in coming some years, the situation would not be changed. Children cannot make a baby. In other words, the population of Japan a couple of decades after now has already been fixed. In 2048, the number of Japanese will be lower than 100 million, reduced by 20 % from now.

In addition, the shape of the pyramid of the population is quite twisted in Japan. Fewer young people will have to support elder people’s life. It is another problem damaging the productivity in Japan. Several aged people are suffering from physical illnesses. It means more costs of health care and welfare will be needed. The fewer young people live in the city, the less likely the city becomes active. Elder people are less likely to make an innovation, although they have particular needs.

There are several hypotheses why Japan’s population is decreasing. Before considering it, we should be aware of the history. In the 1960s, the Japan government was worrying about the excessive population. The situation was reversed at all. Forcasting the future is so difficult that China has also failed to control its population.


After the WWII, Japanese were willing to make children, thanks to the peace, and was hopeful for the future, albeit they were poor and insecure. Compared to those days, Japanese is given prosperity and security at the level we have not got ever. There are many entertainments than making love. Thus, fertility as a human being is damaged by fertility in material, cultural, or spiritual concept.

Anyway, Japanese is decreasing. We will not see the development of the society like the previous days again. We have to consider how to decline without pain.

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