Is Japan still considered the most advanced country in the world?

The time I've spent in Japan i've come to realize that outside the bigger cities, pretty much everything is old. Infrastructure is old, people are old and like axm said the housing is lacking alot. When people are saying that Japan is still very advanced compared to the other countries, they are thinking Tokyo.
Japan is riding on its past glory and they have no hurry to change that.
 
SCQ said:
Well more like they can't. It's not like they don't want to.
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I cant really start a debate about this since I have no deeper knowledge of Japan's situation. I merely said what I've seen.
So is Japan doomed to fail? Could you elaborate a little bit?
 
Deta said:
I cant really start a debate about this since I have no deeper knowledge of Japan's situation. I merely said what I've seen.
So is Japan doomed to fail? Could you elaborate a little bit?
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There are a lot of reasons related to things like their work culture, the economic model they relied on for growth which helped their economy explode but is also a reason why it imploded, public debt and a lot more international competition. However if I were to really elaborate I would have to write the equivalent of ten pages so I'll just focus on the biggest issue they have that threatens the future of their country. Japan's main problem is demographics, they're not making enough babies to inject new life in to the economy while they die really old meaning an increasingly small workforce is having to support their retired population. This is in no way sustainable and if things continue as they are now, Japan's economy will eventually completely implode.

They are actively trying to fix their problems but so far these attempts have been unsuccessful as demonstrated by the failure of abenomics.
 
SCQ said:
There are a lot of reasons related to things like their work culture, the economic model they relied on for growth which helped their economy explode but is also a reason why it imploded, public debt and a lot more international competition. However if I were to really elaborate I would have to write the equivalent of ten pages so I'll just focus on the biggest issue they have that threatens the future of their country. Japan's main problem is demographics, they're not making enough babies to inject new life in to the economy while they die really old meaning an increasingly small workforce is having to support their retired population. This is in no way sustainable and if things continue as they are now, Japan's economy will eventually completely implode.

They are actively trying to fix their problems but so far these attempts have been unsuccessful as demonstrated by the failure of abenomics.
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Most of the things you listed, ive heard before. It feels like the government doesnt care even if the population is getting older and older. If they do care, why dont they try to support the new families and give them a reason to get babies? More the better.
Same goes to working culture. Is there a reason for this outdated working environment to go on and on? Does it work?
All I hear is mostly bad things about it. Young people fleeting to bigger cities. What does the government do? Nothing.
Why is the suicide rations so bad? Why doesnt the goverment invest in better healthcare and preventation?

How any of this reflects to " they want but can't" way of thinking?

They just live in the past.
 
Deta said:
Most of the things you listed, ive heard before. It feels like the government doesnt care even if the population is getting older and older. If they do care, why dont they try to support the new families and give them a reason to get babies? More the better.
Same goes to working culture. Is there a reason for this outdated working environment to go on and on? Does it work?
All I hear is mostly bad things about it. Young people fleeting to bigger cities. What does the government do? Nothing.
Why is the suicide rations so bad? Why doesnt the goverment invest in better healthcare and preventation?

How any of this reflects to " they want but can't" way of thinking?

They just live in the past.
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Actually the government are trying to industrialise the less developed parts of the nation, unfortunately a big city will always offer opportunities that rural areas simply never will so they will always attract young and dynamic people. There are also cash incentives to have children but that has only helped a little, convincing people to put their careers on hold appears to be difficult in a country as work orientated as Japan. The government actually does a lot but short of becoming tyrannical it is incredibly difficult to fix these problems. No country wants to be stuck with a stagnating economy and the threat of implosion but it's a lot more difficult to fix these issues than the government creating incentives.
 
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Who knew, being patriarchal isnt worthwhile.
I've always seen the "work orientation" in Japan as a stage. The work efficiency is nowhere near the most productive countries and the only reason why I think japanese people are still willing to continues this madness is solely because every man in japan want to be richer than hes neighbor. Its all about reputation. At least thats how it is in S.Korea.
Its hard to change stagnant mind.
 
@SCQ is right about Japan supporting child birth and care. Actually my wife and I just had a baby and boy did we get a good deal..
She had to stay in the hospital for a month because of constant contractions. So they cared for her 24/7 to delay the birth.
In the end, my baby was then born 1 month pre-mature so after that the baby had to stay in the ICU for another month. (he is totally healthy btw)
And then we have had numerous doctor visits and care etc.

Guess how much it all cost? (after all the paperwork bureaucracy)
Under $200 equivalent.
Japan is definitely helping with supporting child birthing.
We will also get support for child care in the future.
So in that way, in terms of medical care. Japan is fantastic compared to the shit show in America.
 
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@AXM That is fantastic, congratulations!

But Im talking about some kind of carrot the government would be willing to give the new couples and families.
In example, I heard Poland is paying families to have more babies.
Something that gives the people a reason or a push to get more babies.
Its not that all of the new couple cant afford to get a baby or two, it just isnt convenient for them.
Japan can blame its baby crisis because of its extreme work culture, which is outdated and inefficient.
 
Deta said:
@AXM that is fantastic and congratulations.

But Im talking about some kind of carrot the government would be willing to give the new couples and families.
In example, I heard Poland is paying families to have more babies.
Something that gives the people a reason or a push to get more babies.
Its not that all of the new couple cant afford to get a baby or two, it just isnt convenient for them.
Japan can blame its baby crisis because of its extreme work culture, which is outdated and inefficient.
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There are cash incentives apparently but Japan is also up to its neck in debt so its not like they still have bottomless coffers to finance these initiatives.
 
SCQ said:
There are cash incentives apparently but Japan is also up to its neck in debt so its not like they still have bottomless coffers to finance these initiatives.
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Oh for sure, Im not disagreeing with you or saying that there isnt. Im just spit balling here for the sake of conversation if there would be a convincing reason to make japanese stay at home making more babies.

But I think all of this comes down to the fact that japanese are not willing to change their old habits. All of these problems from baby making, to depression etc. is because of the working culture they have there. And that is because Japan is still heavily patriarchal country.
 
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A lot first world countries are having a declining birth rate, but Japan is different. In the UK and the rest of Western Europe, they are making up for it with immigration. The UK’s immigrant population went up 10% the last 18 years, while Japan hasn’t gone up.

Abenomics is mostly focusing on the short term as opposed to the long term. Instead of immigration, he’s focusing more on boosting tourism, and its been working. Hopefully, it’ll pave way for immigration in the future.
 
In regards to birth rate, yes many countries have declining birth rates but Japan is in a league all in it's own in that department. Between the massive amounts of public debt, the declining population (workforce) and on top of everything else it's only a matter of time before they default and the country will go like Greece did.
 
Japan is the most advanced culture, but not country...
 
Jeff said:
In regards to birth rate, yes many countries have declining birth rates but Japan is in a league all in it's own in that department.
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Maybe in the Americas but in Europe most countries are similar to Japan while some are even worse like Poland and Spain. Outside of major cities this continent feels like it is dying.
 
Yes, and lack of sex is part of it. It's funny that Japan has a highly active multi billion dollar porn industry and semi-legalized prostitution, and yet, they are one of the countries that have the least amount of sex.
 
RyoHazuki84 said:
Yes, and lack of sex is part of it. It's funny that Japan has a highly active multi billion dollar porn industry and semi-legalized prostitution, and yet, they are one of the countries that have the least amount of sex.
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Notime.jpg
 
SCQ said:
There are a lot of reasons related to things like their work culture, the economic model they relied on for growth which helped their economy explode but is also a reason why it imploded, public debt and a lot more international competition. However if I were to really elaborate I would have to write the equivalent of ten pages so I'll just focus on the biggest issue they have that threatens the future of their country. Japan's main problem is demographics, they're not making enough babies to inject new life in to the economy while they die really old meaning an increasingly small workforce is having to support their retired population. This is in no way sustainable and if things continue as they are now, Japan's economy will eventually completely implode.

They are actively trying to fix their problems but so far these attempts have been unsuccessful as demonstrated by the failure of abenomics.
Click to expand...

Italy 2.0.

I'll sum up my thoughts on Japan, like I sum up my thoughts on Calgary and Italy:

Wonderful place to vacation for up to a month, bad place to live.

But Japan is better than the other 2, IMO.

Japan is still the most wonderful and amazing country I've ever been to and I doubt anything will dethrone it anytime soon. However, I'm looking at it from a tourist's POV and I cannot say how it would be to live there... Although, Okinawan's seem super happy and on the up and up!
 
I've never visited Japan because of my money budget and because of my heart condition I cannot fly outside the UK but I do agree that Japan is the most advanced country in the world, the Japs are smarter than us too like if a person contracts a cold, they wear antibacterial masks to avoid it spreading whereas here in the UK we just ride it out or tolerate, they also place these things (I can't remember the name) outside their homes to stop mosquitos biting them and they're always building new things but I'm scared the population will drop because the men are falling in love with app that has a virtual woman and then there's the weather disasters in Japan.
 
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