Next Generation

Babies. 赤ちゃん。Last year saw Japan's lowest number of births on record. Fewer than 730,000, far outnumbered by deaths. The country's population is approximately 123 million but is expected to fall to 90 million by 2050. One of my sons and his wife welcomed into the world a baby girl in January, and I am elated to be a grandparent. She is the future of Japan. But her Japan will be very, very different from mine when she gets older.