"Japan will lose 70 percent of its workforce by 2050 and economic growth will slow to zero"

www.washingtonpost.com...





Is this a result of their fierce nationalism? Should Japan consider reforming immigration to increase their population? This is certainly a strange story when the rest of the world is feeling the pains of overpopulation, Japan is facing the potential reality of depopulation.

Very interesting.

I take exception with the article's claim that Japan in the future will rely on tokyo - the statistics show that the highest birthrate is outside of that area, and in Rural Japan - where I am - the birthrate is higher. we've got other problems though - like lack of coal in the mines, and lack of people wanting to take up farming as a career. That's changing, though.
(The western press tends to be very Tokyo-centric, mainly because most of their beareau reporters never venture out of Tokyo except to take in the sights at Hakone and maybe do a bit of snowboarding at Nagano. )

As far as immigration goes, there are plans in play right now to grant longer visas based on Japanese language ability - something I wholeheartedly support. There is also a significant change in the works - so I'm told - to the citizenship process, which will apparently be linked to Japanese ability, employment, and a shortened time in the country - in addition to the existing regulations for being a citizen of good standing. There have already been significant changes to the guest-worker program, which make it a LOT easier for businesses to hire foreigners long-term, and assure us a lot more rights and protection under Japanese law. I was quite happy about that.

One contentious issue that remains - and I'm of two minds about this - is the dual citizenship debate. Should immigrants be allowed to keep their original citizenship, or should they voluntarily renounce their ties to their country of origin when they become Japanese? Some days I think I could do it without a problem, and I can see the reasons for the Japanese wanting that. Other days.. I'm not so sure I could go through with it, because I may want to return to Canada if things get really rough here. And I think that line of thought leads back to the Japanese rationale. I'll burn that bridge when I come to it, I guess.

reply to post by vox2442

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Have you dated many Japanese nationals? Are you of Asian decent, or are you Caucasian? When I lived in Okinawa, dating was easy and difficult. Easy because many of the younger girls thought it was exciting to date an American. Difficult because their friends and family did not like it at all. I felt like a novelty. I was never really accepted and I felt more like I was just a form of entertainment.

reply to post by Karlhungis

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...er... I'm not going to go into my dating history on here, but I do know what you mean. There are certain women looking for a novelty boyfriend. It's just another status thing, like finding a guy with a sports car, or a full time job (if you're from my home town). I found women of that variety pretty boring to be around, frankly. Once I learned more Japanese, I found I could actually connect with regular people more (go figure). If you don't speak the language, then yes, you will be a novelty. I think that goes just about anywhere, though.

Oh, and for the other question, I'm Caucasian. Blondish hair, where it still exists, with blue eyes. I'm the only one within about 50km of where I am, I think. I stick out a bit, but after I'd been here for a year or so, people were a lot more open and welcoming in general - because I stay.