Japan’s demographic crisis is deepening faster than expected, with the number of births this year on track to fall below even the government’s most pessimistic projections.
Archived version: https://archive.is/20251228215131/https://slguardian.org/japans-birth-rate-set-to-break-even-the-bleakest-forecasts/
Disclaimer: The article linked is from a single source with a single perspective. Make sure to cross-check information against multiple sources to get a comprehensive view on the situation.
Old people unable to find caregivers and dying alone, often many years younger than they would with basic care. In isolation, I do find countrywide systemic elder neglect to be a pretty big negative. I am old enough my future need for care is starting to feel pretty real, and I really appreciate having enough nieces and nephews to have decent odds of support.
In Japan’s specific case, there are large numbers of people in nearby countries that would jump at the chance to immigrate and work in elder care, but most Japanese are so racist they would rather die alone and early. So, I guess leave them to it.
That’s more of a structural issue though than a population issue.
Like, you can literally have millions of people in the country that are unemployed but still not have enough care workers because the government refuses to pay them and provide the necessary infrastructure. An incompetent government does far more harm to elderly care than any population decline ever could do.
Cool
Okay. So why is pressuring already overworked put upon young people to do even more even on the table when letting the racist shit sticks die in their own piss respects everyone’s autonomy?