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. fzeroracer · 1789728176 · focus · HN ↗

                  'Let nature take its course' is such a naive take.

                  The reality is that Japan (and countries following a similar path) are strangling the younger generation by saddling them with generational debt. They become responsible for taking care of an older population, with no guarantee of their own future as their own ability to retire vanishes and income goes to zero. It should be no surprise that the older block also votes to protect itself, as politicians skew far older than the rest of the citizenry. The result of 'nature taking its course' is a complete collapse of the government. In the long term this is certainly a solution but not a particularly good one.

                  An argument could be made that a slow gradual decline would help ease these issues but you would need to convince people twice your age to willingly give up their benefits and things they worked for and were promised. What are the odds that you think that will work out?

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