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[Lights and Waves]

Japan’s population is expected to shrink by nearly a third within 50 years, according to new figures highlighting the nation’s demographic crisis.

The number of people is predicted to tumble from just over 127 million in 2015 to 88 million in 2065, dropping further to 51 million by 2115.

The new figures, updated every five years by the health ministry, are likely to put further pressure on the Japanese government as it deals with a shrinking workforce and soaring pension demand.

Solutions to the demographic issues facing Japan appear to have eluded politicians for decades despite a string of policies designed to boost birthrates and stem the shrinkage.

Source.

Those numbers are insane.

What's also nuts is that older Japanese folk are holding back pro-LGBT legislation from passing because they think it'll contribute to population decline.

 

[Dwight Schrute]

Natural selection

 

[hydrophilic attack]

Those numbers are insane.

What's also nuts is that older Japanese folk are holding back pro-LGBT legislation from passing because they think it'll contribute to population decline.

lol they might want to consider changing their work culture, or attitudes towards immigrants instead

 

[ahoyhoy]

Immigration time.

Xenophobia has gotta end.

 

[Aaronrules380]

The real solution here is encouraging immigration, but Japan is too xenophobic to accept that

 

[AntraxSuicide]

Those numbers are insane.

What's also nuts is that older Japanese folk are holding back pro-LGBT legislation from passing because they think it'll contribute to population decline.

Do they think without gay marriage that LGBT people just go "welp guess I'll procreate in a heteronormative relationship now"

 

[AuthenticM]

Well that will certainly bring a wind of socio-political change.

 

[Team Alucard]

300% debt to GDP incoming

 

[Aaronrules380]

Well that will certainly bring a wind of socio-political change.

I mean, this is really nothing new. It hasn't brought change yet so I'm a bit less optimistic than you seem to be

 

[shira]

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=462312

 

[Red Arremer]

Do they think without gay marriage that LGBT people just go "welp guess I'll procreate in a heteronormative relationship now"

Yes.

 

[ZOONAMI]

They need to allow more immigration or literally pay people like $100,000 to have children (per child).

 

[Suikoguy]

That would be economically devastating, with effects not yet seen in a modern economy.

 

[TheChaos0]

This is something that is happening across the developed world but generally offset by immigration, something Japan lacks.

 

[Steejee]

Guess they'll open up to immigration one way or another.

Honestly it would be nice if everybody's population shrunk by a third by 2065 - that would be a massive help to the environment.

 

[perfectchaos007]

Natural selection

Pretty much. That little island isn't meant to support 100+ million people anyway.

 

[Randolph Freelander]

To be fair, Japan has been in the pool.

 

[Lights and Waves]

Do they think without gay marriage that LGBT people just go "welp guess I'll procreate in a heteronormative relationship now"

Why do you think Sailor Moon rejected Sailor Uranus' advances?

 

[Tadaima]

No.

The real solution is better work life balance. There are many young and single people, but not enough opportunities to nurture relationships.

 

[Slacker]

To be fair, Japan has been in the pool.

What does this mean?

 

[perfectchaos007]

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=462312

That article was from 5 years ago. You can tell its dated because it lists Japans population as 128 million while this current article lists Japan's population at 127 million.

 

[HStallion]

Well that's what happens when you cause the Third Impact

 

[Orthogonal]

Immigration is a band-aid fix. Increased birth rates to near replacement is the only long term stable solution.

 

[Cipherr]

Guess they'll open up to immigration one way or another.

Honestly it would be nice if everybody's population shrunk by a third by 2065 - that would be a massive help to the environment.

Yep. It has to happen some time. Can't put it off forever. Over the next 60 years their population is going to take huge hits man. Time to stop pretending you don't know of a 'solution'.

 

[soundscream]

What does this mean?

Shrinkage

 

[vypek]

What does this mean?

Its a reference to shrinkage and a Seinfeld episode

 

[kmag]

That would be economically devastating, with effects not yet seen in a modern economy.

It's coming to most of the other modern economies though. Immigration is probably the best interim solution (mostly because 1st and 2nd generation immigrants tend to have more children) but ultimately 'Western' countries populations are going to top out in the next 20 years.

 

[bonesmccoy]

Immigration alone won't arrest a decline that steep. Birth rates need to go up to replacement level *and* immigration needs to be boosted.

 

[krae_man]

What does this mean?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GG2dF5PS0bI

 

[Viewt]

What does this mean?

It's a reference to an episode of Seinfeld where George has been swimming in a pool, and then undresses to get changed. A woman walks in on him and sees his (presumably small) dick. He yells "I was in the pool! I was in the pool!" at her to assure her that it was the pool that shrunk his penis, and that this wasn't representative of his usual size.

Basically, it's a gag on the population "shrink" in the thread title.

 

[Pagusas]

Are Japanese people unwelcoming to american immigrants? I honestly know very little about the culture, but always hear about game lovers wanting to move there.

 

[Trojita]

Pretty much. That little island isn't meant to support 100+ million people anyway.

There's some areas where space isn't an issue, but with a 1/3 of the population shrunk, think of all the room for activities!

 

[Team Alucard]

No.

The real solution is better work life balance. There are many young and single people, but not enough opportunities to nurture relationships.

Birth rates are below replacement level in every post industrial country in the world. Japan is not a special case in this regard

 

[kiri]

Looking forward to their visa-restrictions being relaxed - then I'll be back.

I have a feeling that post-Olympics, there will be a push towards opening up the country more. There have already been steps made in Fukuoka.

 

[ClosingADoor]

They need pensions to pay for themselves, so the burden is not on younger people. Plus having houses and such be self reliant, so recycling, solar, etc. If we move on from the need for constant growth, this stuff won't be such a large problem. And every country will be challenged with this. We use immigration now in the US and Europe, but that will dry up sometime when other nations continue catching up with their living standards.

 

[AcademicSaucer]

Immigration time.

Xenophobia has gotta end.

you mean Robot time

 

[Trojita]

There will be an inverse correlation. The dog population will go up.

Breed Trojita, breed!

 

[chromatic9]

That article was from 5 years ago. You can tell its dated because it lists Japans population as 128 million while this current article lists Japan's population at 127 million.

This site is saying 126.1 million
http://www.worldometers.info/world-population/japan-population/

Google and this site also say Japan's population never reached 128 million

 

[Sectorseven]

This is going to fast track automation and exacerbate the problem.

 

[shira]

you mean Robot time

robot waifus

 

[Mathieran]

Guess they'll open up to immigration one way or another.

Honestly it would be nice if everybody's population shrunk by a third by 2065 - that would be a massive help to the environment.

This. We could use a worldwide population decrease. 33% would be great.

 

[MikeHattsu]

Related:
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2017/04/05/national/1-4-japanese-men-still-unmarried-age-50-report/

Nearly 1 in 4 men and 1 in 7 women in Japan were yet to be married at age 50 in 2015 in a clear sign that Japanese are increasingly shying away from tying the knot, a government report has showed.

The data, which excludes people who were divorced or separated by the death of a spouse by age 50, is released every five years based on a national census.

Kitamura said the country needed policies for “stabilizing employment and arranging an environment in which both men and women can work while raising children.”

Roughly 40 percent of Japan’s labor force comprises temporary workers, making unstable employment conditions more common than decades ago.

Another survey released by the governmental institute last year showed most unmarried people wanted to get married, but many cited a lack of finances as an obstacle.

In that survey, which targeted people aged 18 to 34, 86 percent of male respondents and 89 percent of female respondents said they hoped to eventually get married, while more than 40 percent said ensuring they had money for marriage was a hurdle they needed to overcome.

 

[Rentahamster]

That would be economically devastating, with effects not yet seen in a modern economy.

Depends how fast they get their robots online.

 

[Kayhan]

Are Japanese people unwelcoming to american immigrants? I honestly know very little about the culture, but always hear about game lovers wanting to move there.

Population crash or Gamer immigration.

Tough choice for Japan.

 

[Auto_aim1]

300% debt to GDP incoming

Their GDP hasn't grown since 1995 but they don't seem to care.

 

[ggx2ac]

you mean Robot time

That or they'll clone themselves.

 

[ramparter]

The real solution here is encouraging immigration, but Japan is too xenophobic to accept that

A friend of mine is in a relationship with a japanese girl. I'm sure he would seriously consider it to move there and have kids with her if they gave him some incentives.

 

[caliph95]

You mean Slayvern has a chance

 

[tokkun]

Guess they'll open up to immigration one way or another.

Honestly it would be nice if everybody's population shrunk by a third by 2065 - that would be a massive help to the environment.

Maybe, maybe not. People are living longer, so the shrink is occurring in the younger demographics. Shrinking those voting blocs is bound to make governments much more conservative, and probably less responsive on environmental issues.

 

[BoogieWoogie]

2065? Will Climate Change not have killed us by then?