A Shrinking Society in Japan

05/05/21 • 28 min

27 Listeners

Japan is the “grayest” nation in the world. Close to 30 percent of the population is over 65. The reason is its low birthrate, which has caused the population to contract since 2007.

With the birthrate in the United States also dropping, what are the implications of a shrinking population, and what lessons can be learned from Japan?

Guest: Motoko Rich, the Tokyo bureau chief for The New York Times.

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Background reading:

The contracting population in Japan poses a serious threat to the country’s economic vitality and the security of its social safety net.
As Japan’s population shrinks and ages, rural areas are emptying out. In one childless village, two dozen adults compensate for the absence with the company of hundreds of giant handmade dolls.
The birthrate in the United States declined for the sixth straight year in 2020 and has fallen by about 19 percent since its recent peak in 2007.

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

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Japan is the “grayest” nation in the world. Close to 30 percent of the population is over 65. The reason is its low birthrate, which has caused the population to contract since 2007.

With the birthrate in the United States also dropping, what are the implications of a shrinking population, and what lessons can be learned from Japan?

Guest: Motoko Rich, the Tokyo bureau chief for The New York Times.

Sign up here to get The Daily in your inbox each morning. And for an exclusive look at how the biggest stories on our show come together, subscribe to our newsletter.

Background reading:

The contracting population in Japan poses a serious threat to the country’s economic vitality and the security of its social safety net.
As Japan’s population shrinks and ages, rural areas are emptying out. In one childless village, two dozen adults compensate for the absence with the company of hundreds of giant handmade dolls.
The birthrate in the United States declined for the sixth straight year in 2020 and has fallen by about 19 percent since its recent peak in 2007.

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

Previous Episode

A Population Slowdown in the U.S.

The latest census revealed that the United States had seen the second-slowest decade of population growth since 1790, when the count began.

The country may be entering an era of substantially lower population growth, demographers said.

How could this redefine the nation’s future?

Guest: Sabrina Tavernise, a national correspondent covering demographics for The New York Times.

Sign up here to get The Daily in your inbox each morning. And for an exclusive look at how the biggest stories on our show come together, subscribe to our newsletter.

Background reading:

The numbers, the product of the most embattled census process in decades, underlined the long-running trend of population gains in the South and West.
Here is a roundup of what you need to know about the census results.

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

Next Episode

A Major Ruling From Facebook’s ‘Supreme Court’

Was Facebook right to indefinitely bar former President Donald J. Trump from the platform after the Capitol riot?

The company’s oversight board, which rules on some of the thorniest speech decisions on the platform, decided that, while the ban was justified at the time, the parameters of the suspension needed to be defined.

What does the ruling tell us about Facebook’s “Supreme Court.”

Guest: Cecilia Kang, a reporter covering technology and regulatory policy for The New York Times.

Sign up here to get The Daily in your inbox each morning. And for an exclusive look at how the biggest stories on our show come together, subscribe to our newsletter.

Background reading:

Facebook’s company-appointed panel ruled that Facebook should reassess the barring of Mr. Trump and make a final decision in six months.
Lawmakers, both Republican and Democrat, have criticized the board’s decision.
Here are some central facts to know about the oversight board.

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.