Changes

===Decline===

===Decline===

[[File:Niños japoneces.jpg|left]]

[[File:Niños japoneces.jpg|left]]

Japan's population peaked in 2006; the following year saw the second consecutive decline, with an official population of 127,053,471. The [[birth rate]] has now increased from 2006's record low, but this has been offset by an all-time-high in the [[death rate]]. 51% of the population is female, and people over 65 now make up 26.4% of the country.<ref>''[[Japan Times]]'': '[http://search.japantimes.co.jp/mail/nn20070803a2.html Population shrinks again despite increase in births]'. 3rd August 2007; "Japan's changing demography: Cloud, or silver linings?" ''Economist'' (Jul 26th 2007) at [http://www.economist.com/world/displaystory.cfm?story_id=9539825].</ref>  

Japan's population peaked in 2006; the following year saw the second consecutive decline, with an official population of 127,053,471. The [[birth rate]] has now increased from 2006's record low, but this has been offset by an all-time-high in the [[death rate]]. 51% of the population is female, and people over 65 now make up 26.4% of the country.<ref>''[[Japan Times]]'': '[http://search.japantimes.co.jp/mail/nn20070803a2.html Population shrinks again despite increase in births]'. 3rd August 2007; "Japan's changing demography: Cloud, or silver linings?" ''Economist'' (Jul 26th 2007) at [https://www.economist.com/world/displaystory.cfm?story_id=9539825].</ref>  

In 1947 the proportion of Japanese over 65 was around 5% of the population, well below that in Britain, France or America. Today the elderly account for one-fifth of the population, and average lifespans have grown remarkably. Life expectancy today is 82, up from a little over 50 in 1947.   

In 1947 the proportion of Japanese over 65 was around 5% of the population, well below that in Britain, France or America. Today the elderly account for one-fifth of the population, and average lifespans have grown remarkably. Life expectancy today is 82, up from a little over 50 in 1947.   

The baby boom came in 1947-1949, when 2.7m children a year were born. In 2007 the baby-boom generation began to retire (60 is the mandatory retirement age at most companies).  Japan's birth rate fell below the replacement rate of 2.1 in the early 1970s. It slid to a low of 1.26 in 2005. In 2005 the population began to fall in absolute terms, despite increasing life expectancy. It is now shrinking at a pace unprecedented for any nation in peacetime. The National Institute of Population and Social Security Research estimates a total population of 95m by 2050, compared to 127m in 2007, with the elderly accounting by then for two-fifths of the total.<ref>"Japan's changing demography: Cloud, or silver linings?" ''Economist'' (Jul 26th 2007) at [http://www.economist.com/world/displaystory.cfm?story_id=9539825].</ref>

The baby boom came in 1947-1949, when 2.7m children a year were born. In 2007 the baby-boom generation began to retire (60 is the mandatory retirement age at most companies).  Japan's birth rate fell below the replacement rate of 2.1 in the early 1970s. It slid to a low of 1.26 in 2005. In 2005 the population began to fall in absolute terms, despite increasing life expectancy. It is now shrinking at a pace unprecedented for any nation in peacetime. The National Institute of Population and Social Security Research estimates a total population of 95m by 2050, compared to 127m in 2007, with the elderly accounting by then for two-fifths of the total.<ref>"Japan's changing demography: Cloud, or silver linings?" ''Economist'' (Jul 26th 2007) at [https://www.economist.com/world/displaystory.cfm?story_id=9539825].</ref>

===Policies===

===Policies===

A massive 9.0-magnitude earthquake and several powerful aftershocks struck the eastern coast of Japan on March 11, 2011 (12:46&nbsp;a.m. in Washington), triggering a [[tsunami]] that devastated the coastline north of [[Tokyo]] with waves up to 20 meters (66&nbsp;ft.) high. The earthquake epicenter was in the western Pacific Ocean, 130 kilometers east of [[Sendai]], [[Honshu]] island. The earthquake occurred along the subduction zone between two tectonic plates.

A massive 9.0-magnitude earthquake and several powerful aftershocks struck the eastern coast of Japan on March 11, 2011 (12:46&nbsp;a.m. in Washington), triggering a [[tsunami]] that devastated the coastline north of [[Tokyo]] with waves up to 20 meters (66&nbsp;ft.) high. The earthquake epicenter was in the western Pacific Ocean, 130 kilometers east of [[Sendai]], [[Honshu]] island. The earthquake occurred along the subduction zone between two tectonic plates.

[[File:Japan radiation 2011.jpg|right|140px|Japanese radiation, 2011.]]

[[File:Japan radiation 2011.jpg|right|140px|Japanese radiation, 2011.]]

The Japan Meteorological Agency said the earthquake was the strongest in the country's history;<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2011/03/11/ST2011031100651.html?sid=ST2011031100651 Japan Quake - Tsunami]</ref> the death toll is around 16,000 people; Prime Minister Naoto Kan called it the nation's worst crisis since World War II.<ref>http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2011-03-13-japan-earthquake_N.htm</ref>  

The Japan Meteorological Agency said the earthquake was the strongest in the country's history;<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2011/03/11/ST2011031100651.html?sid=ST2011031100651 Japan Quake - Tsunami]</ref> the death toll is around 16,000 people; Prime Minister Naoto Kan called it the nation's worst crisis since World War II.<ref>https://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2011-03-13-japan-earthquake_N.htm</ref>  

The [[earthquake]] has caused three nuclear power plant cooling systems to fail and those affected reactors. Thousands of residents were evacuated.<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/03/11/japan-issues-emergency-nuke-plant-leak Radiation Levels Surge Outside Two Nuclear Plants in Japan.]</ref>

The [[earthquake]] has caused three nuclear power plant cooling systems to fail and those affected reactors. Thousands of residents were evacuated.<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/03/11/japan-issues-emergency-nuke-plant-leak Radiation Levels Surge Outside Two Nuclear Plants in Japan.]</ref>