| 日本の人口 Japan's population is estimated at around 127,810,000. For the most
part, Japanese society is linguistically and culturally homogeneous with
only small populations of foreign workers, Zainichi Korean and others.
Japan has indigenous minority groups such as the Ainu and Ryukyuans, and
social minority groups like the burakumin.
Japan has the
highest
life expectancy in the world: 85.2 years for women and 78.3 years
for men (in 2002).[21]
However, the Japanese population is rapidly aging, the effect of
a postwar baby boom followed by a decrease in births in the latter
part of the 20th century. In 2004, about 19.5% of the population was
over the age of 65.[22]
The changes in the demographic structure have created a number of social
issues, particularly a potential decline in the workforce population and
increases in the cost of social security benefits such as the
public
pension plan. If its birth and death rates remain at the current
levels, Japan's population has passed its peak and its population will
continue to decline. It is expected to drop to 100 million by 2050, and
to 64 million by 2100.[23]
Demographers and government planners are currently in a heated debate
over how to cope with this problem.[24]
Immigration and birth incentives are sometimes suggested as a
solution to provide younger workers to support the nation's aging
population. Immigration, however, is not popular as recent increased
crime
rates are often attributed to foreigners living in Japan |
