There's risk to the soon-to-be-elderly. I think their culture depends on the young to care for the elderly and they're about to have that upended to some degree.

I say this as a dumb american who has been to Asia but not Japan; I'm speaking way out of turn. If someone who is better-educated on this topic wants to correct me, I'd love to be better informed.

[–] kalleboo@lemmy.world 7 points 1 year ago

Culture aside, pretty much every country has its pension and health care schemes set up as basically Ponzi schemes - they require young people (who don't need much healthcare and don't get pension) paying in to support the simultaneous payouts for the elderly. You have twice as many elderly as young, suddenly the young need to pay in twice as much.