Ageing Japan

How can the world's most elderly society overcome its demographic crisis?

Japan faces a demographic crisis. Its population is falling rapidly due to an ageing population and declining birthrates. In two decades from now, seniors will outnumber children under 15 by nearly four to one. The situation is now so critical that adult nappies outsell baby nappies in the country. Japan's overall population fell by a record quarter-million to 127.8 million last year, and by 2060, the population is expected to fall by an additional one-third to as few as 87 million. And 40 per cent of those remaining will be over 65 years old. Four million Japanese elderly live by themselves, while family members who choose to care for an elderly relative often experience isolation and a burden themselves.

For Japan to overcome this demographic disparity there would have to be a fundamental change in Japanese society in essence a new Meiji era. Without this change by mid century Japan as a nation wouldn't be able to sustain itself as the overall population continues its decline the economy would collapse upon itself. The population feels constrained by society. So, in essence what you have a passive aggressive population unwilling to comply with government dictates to rise the countries overall birthrate.