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ok so i was just watching this docu on the declining population in japan and it occurred to me that the japanese people are probably TOO traditional, introverted, and reserved. do you think if the japanese people lived more of an individualism lifestyle this would improve the troubling factors they may face in the future?
ok so i was just watching this docu on the declining population in japan and it occurred to me that the japanese people are probably TOO traditional, introverted, and reserved. do you think if the japanese people lived more of an individualism lifestyle this would improve the troubling factors they may face in the future?
No. They have too many people for such a crowded country with no natural resources of it own. The world needs less people, not more
Declining population =/= downfall of civilization. Quite the opposite in fact. Many of Japan's social ills and maladies are precisely because the country is so overcrowded. Population decline will in the long run alleviate pressure on Japanese society and allow future generations of Japanese to enjoy life more.
Declining population =/= downfall of civilization. Quite the opposite in fact. Many of Japan's social ills and maladies are precisely because the country is so overcrowded. Population decline will in the long run alleviate pressure on Japanese society and allow future generations of Japanese to enjoy life more.
That's true, although Japan is far from alone. People see those crowded trains in Tokyo or Shibuya and think Japan is unusually crowded, but it's density is similar to countries like England (not the UK) and less than the Netherlands. But yes, less people will be good, but it's not only about population but changing demographics and an ageing population. It's about how the young will have to support the growing population of retirees.
That's true, although Japan is far from alone. People see those crowded trains in Tokyo or Shibuya and think Japan is unusually crowded, but it's density is similar to countries like England (not the UK) and less than the Netherlands. But yes, less people will be good, but it's not only about population but changing demographics and an ageing population. It's about how the young will have to support the growing population of retirees.
Japan doesn't have to worry too much about that. Many of the elderly still live with their kids and grandkids. It's countries like the US that throw away their elderly that really need to worry about that. Also, Japan's population density figures are not real. Don't be fooled by those numbers. You cannot build on most of Japan. Take that into account, and Japan is an extremely crowded country with shrinking farmland every year. Unless they figure out how to economically flatten a few mountains, they got a little land that is useable, much like California.
Japan doesn't have to worry too much about that. Many of the elderly still live with their kids and grandkids. It's countries like the US that throw away their elderly that really need to worry about that. Also, Japan's population density figures are not real. Don't be fooled by those numbers. You cannot build on most of Japan. Take that into account, and Japan is an extremely crowded country with shrinking farmland every year. Unless they figure out how to economically flatten a few mountains, they got a little land that is useable, much like California.
I still don't think it's good government policy to rely on families. There are still the elderly in Japan who don't have family to take care of them, for various reasons, same with Singapore. You see 75 year olds sweeping the road or cleaning tables and just feel a bit sad for them. I also remember seeing a lot of old homeless people and beggars in Singapore, but I don't see many of them these days...Well yeah, Japan imports a lot, but for rice, for instance, it's self-sustaining, plus they eat a lot of seafood.
I still don't think it's good government policy to rely on families. There are still the elderly in Japan who don't have family to take care of them, for various reasons, same with Singapore. You see 75 year olds sweeping the road or cleaning tables and just feel a bit sad for them. I also remember seeing a lot of old homeless people and beggars in Singapore, but I don't see many of them these days...Well yeah, Japan imports a lot, but for rice, for instance, it's self-sustaining, plus they eat a lot of seafood.
Why not? I think its a good thing. It doesnt encourage a throw away society like your adopted country and mine. Just keep on encouraging Japan to be self-reliant and not to adopt the Western view that forever growth must be sustained at all cost. Its a population correction that is going on. Westerners see that as a bad thing. It is, short term, but has long term benefits. They will have an increase in their QOL once the excess population passes on
Japan doesn't have to worry too much about that. Many of the elderly still live with their kids and grandkids. It's countries like the US that throw away their elderly that really need to worry about that. Also, Japan's population density figures are not real. Don't be fooled by those numbers. You cannot build on most of Japan. Take that into account, and Japan is an extremely crowded country with shrinking farmland every year. Unless they figure out how to economically flatten a few mountains, they got a little land that is useable, much like California.
Japan actually has plenty of fertile farmland, the main problem is that it's heavily disused. Japan's huge push for postwar industrial and commercial might saw a massive population shift from rural to metropolitan areas, and as a result, there's been nearly 400,000 hectares of abandoned farmland in Japan in the last decade. There are entire towns that have been abandoned because eventually, the population died off and none of the decedent's family opted to take the property. There's not a whole lot of land development going on Japan right now as its economy is slowing and they are experiencing negative growth, so there's not a lot of encroachment on farmland.
Why not? I think its a good thing. It doesnt encourage a throw away society like your adopted country and mine. Just keep on encouraging Japan to be self-reliant and not to adopt the Western view that forever growth must be sustained at all cost. Its a population correction that is going on. Westerners see that as a bad thing. It is, short term, but has long term benefits. They will have an increase in their QOL once the excess population passes on
For the reasons I stated. Not everyone has family or people to take care of them. We live in a modern/post-modern pluralistic society where it's everyone for themselves. That's not ideal, but that's how it is. The government should take care of all members of society, it's a bit of a cop-out if you ask me. Agree that constant population growth is not always a good thing: rapacious environmental damage being one side-effect.
RE: Japan being self-sufficient in food ... at least for rice, they are dangerously close to not being self-sufficient anymore. The government enacted reform to a long-standing policy to remove subsidies for small-scale farming of rice. This artificially inflated rice prices but also promoted small farms. Removing this will only hasten the departure of remaining holdouts of family rice farms. The average age of a rice farmer is already something like 60 years old.
Further, tea is another example where pretty soon, if not already, you see abandoned tea farms in Japan, and they will have to import it from China. One of my favorite Youtube channels, "sandypapa" lives in Japan and has for many years after emigrating from America. He enjoys hiking around and in the suburban/rural area he lives in, he has seen a staggering change in the population in his years. In a number of towns he's been in, there's NO children. None. The youngest ones are around 40 or so, taking care of their elderly parents. Old people say that after the war and after the 60s so many kids left and never came back. And yes, there are elderly people living alone who die in their homes and a number of times they aren't discovered, sometimes months or years after they die. Some government estimates say that the number of centenarians in Japan may actually be inflated due to poor records dating back that long combined with old folks living alone and dying alone.
The thing with self-sufficiency is that it and a young work force come hand in hand. Young people bring strong labor, innovation, and energy. Old people bring experience but none of the energy, relatively speaking. Sure Japan may have some really spry old people. But beyond a certain age, you ain't doing no good anymore and are relegated to the house pretty much.
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