Midnight in Japan?

[coolgaijin]

Seems like many social commentators believe the sun is setting on the "Land of the Rising Sun". They point to a rapidly aging population, a decline in the national birthrate, the parasite single phenomenon, economic stagflation, bloated national debt and the botched response of the government to the March 11 disasters. The claim is that Japan's better days are behind it, and that many nations like China will permanently surpass Japan.

Do you think these social problems are real? Are they indicative of a national crisis in Japan? If so, what should we do as 外国人 to prevent the clock from striking midnight?

[Effected After]

The issues they bring up are definitely real, how much of an effect they will have is up for debate. It all really depends on the Japanese answer to these problems.

As for China, they will overtake Japan for a while - 10 years? 20 years? But it won't be a permanent thing. These two countries will forever be racing around each other.

[trip_hop]

Circling the drain... many Japanese understand this, but feel powerless to do anything.
It's up to the DPJ/ LDP acronymic oyajis, along with big business and the bureaucrats; average Suzuki-san won't stick his head up above the horizon...

Best thing to do, have an escape plan/ exit strategy in place for when it starts to get tough here, probably around 2016~2020.

But on the other hand, the sky may not fall down...

[thefg]

Seems like many social commentators believe the sun is setting on the "Land of the Rising Sun". They point to a rapidly aging population, a decline in the national birthrate, the parasite single phenomenon, economic stagflation, bloated national debt and the botched response of the government to the March 11 disasters. The claim is that Japan's better days are behind it, and that many nations like China will permanently surpass Japan.

Do you think these social problems are real? Are they indicative of a national crisis in Japan? If so, what should we do as 外国人 to prevent the clock from striking midnight?

and go where?

Europe is going down the drain
USA is going down the drain

The global shift is to Asia.

Its Asias turn.


such a shift can only be good for Japan and bad for the west

Japans shrinking population is in line with development level. Higher value add = smaller pop need. Japan will have to bring in more foreign talents (same way singapore has had to) to help - but this is going to require a big adjustment for the average joe on the streets

personally I think thats going to be their biggest challenge in next 10 years - increasing number of foreign workers

[trip_hop]

personally I think thats going to be their biggest challenge in next 10 years - increasing number of foreign workers

Some good points there. If the Philippines got its act together, it has the potential to do very well, but their own innate corruption and political troubles are the anchor holding them back.

There are plenty of people who want to work here, though the barriers are high; but the real problem is staying here, and to an extent being accepted. Prime example are the carers who work hard and study for three years, and then nearly all of them fail the "exam", which is what they are supposed to do! Then bring over another batch.

Unless there is a friendlier Immigration policy, indeed, even an Immigration policy; then there will be no improvement. 3 year guest workers do not pay much tax, or contribute to the local economies, as they know they'll be leaving, so they save it all up, and take it with them back home.

[coolgaijin]

They might consider making it less expensive to learn Japanese too. Some of the jukus I've looked at are absurdly overpriced.

[nynapaj]

Seems like many social commentators believe the sun is setting on the "Land of the Rising Sun". They point to a rapidly aging population, a decline in the national birthrate, the parasite single phenomenon, economic stagflation, bloated national debt and the botched response of the government to the March 11 disasters. The claim is that Japan's better days are behind it, and that many nations like China will permanently surpass Japan.

Do you think these social problems are real? Are they indicative of a national crisis in Japan? If so, what should we do as 外国人 to prevent the clock from striking midnight?

Some of these "problems" are good things!
The world would be a better place if people didn't have so many kids for a few generations.

[thefg]

Some of these "problems" are good things!
The world would be a better place if people didn't have so many kids for a few generations.

yes clearly the solution to japans reducing population is to have less kids......no wait

[edin日本]

Circling the drain... many Japanese understand this, but feel powerless to do anything.
It's up to the DPJ/ LDP acronymic oyajis, along with big business and the bureaucrats; average Suzuki-san won't stick his head up above the horizon...

Best thing to do, have an escape plan/ exit strategy in place for when it starts to get tough here, probably around 2016~2020.

But on the other hand, the sky may not fall down...

Will definitely have to get out of Japan before Super Grover's Leaving Japan Tax comes into play.

[nynapaj]

yes clearly the solution to japans reducing population is to have less kids......no wait

Japan still has a very high population density. Less population is better in the long run for everyone. There will be less unemployment, less pollution, more resources- everything can only get better. There are no REAL down sides to a reduction in global population.