Thread

1. shoobiedoo · 1789687401 · focus · HN ↗

   This article calls it a "quiet emergency" but even as a foreigner living in Japan there are alarm bells everywhere. And the government buying 150 F35's is just a slap in the face when there's a massive chunk of the population that is, very quickly, going to need extra care.

   I looked into becoming a care aid myself as I'm tired of office culture in Japan and have some experience in that field. I was shocked to see that they start at less than 10USD, and working your way up takes years, decades even.

   Continuing to kick this can down the road is going to be an absolute disaster.

   1. 999900000999 · 1789700499 · focus · HN ↗

      From the article. >While immigration has risen in previous years, foreigners only make up around 3% of the population and opposition to accepting more has grown.

      That 10 USD isn't for you , it's for an immigrant from a less affluent country. The Philippines for one. Although Japan also has a significant South Asian population.

      The tradition is you work a horrible job, but your kids get to grow up in a rich country with much better opportunities.

      Japan doesn't want immigrants though. They can fix there demographic crisis in a single year by opening immigration up.

      As for defense spending. The only issue is its not homegrown tech. Looks like Mitsubishi is actually working on a 6th gen fighter though.

      1. DaSHacka · 1789703381 · focus · HN ↗

         > Japan doesn't want immigrants though. They can fix there demographic crisis in a single year by opening immigration up.

         'fixing' one issue by swapping it out for another

         1. 999900000999 · 1789716444 · focus · HN ↗

            Ok.

            What’s your solution then. Unless you can convince the average Japanese woman to have 3 kids and then hop in a time machine to do this 20 years ago, then immigration is the only option.

            Almost every advanced economy relies on low paid migrant workers to do crappy jobs.

            Occasionally you can pull these migrants from within the country like in China

            1. carefree-bob · 1789717548 · focus · HN ↗

               There is no solution needed. Populations go up and down, there is no need to for the arrow to always go up and to the right, particularly for overcrowded places like Japan and China. Japan with 50 million Japanese would be a much nicer place, just as China with 500 million Chinese would result in each of those people being happier. Let nature take its course.

               1. shoobiedoo · 1789726095 · focus · HN ↗

                  Thank you. Finally a sane response. This place is nothing but "line must go up!!!" capitalist shills.

                  1. lotsofpulp · 1789726801 · focus · HN ↗

                     The only reason a solution is needed is because a problem was created by promising old people a ton of benefits. To deliver those benefits or expected quality of life, the country has to allocate a greater and greater proportion of the country’s productivity to old people.

                     Obviously, this means less purchasing power for younger people, and they might not like that so much.

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