Japan’s Population Decline: Financial Times

Japan’s low fertility rate, less than 1.5 births per woman, and strict immigration policies contribute to a population that is aging and shrinking. Japanese who were part of a baby boom just before World War II are now dying. The population is 126.4 million and without policy changes is projected to drop by half in less than 100 years. “A strong economy and immigration reforms by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe [have] boosted inflows of guest workers,” explains Robin Harding for Financial Times. “However, there is still a fraught debate about whether they will become long-run migrants, settle and have children in Japan, which would help to stabilise the population in the long run.” Most guest worker visas do not allow families. One university president recommends allowing Asian students who study in Japan to stay and become citizens as a gradual and less disruptive policy change. Japan’s median age is just under 47, and demographics present an economic warning for nations with low fertility rates that resist immigration. – YaleGlobal