Japan

Question 1

Give location

Answer 1

An island lying off the East coast of Asia in Pacific ocean

Question 2

Give the character, scale and patterns of change

Answer 2

• Has decreased by 0.7% since last year
• Mainly decreases in rural areas

Question 3

What are the socioeconomic factors leading to population decrease ?

Answer 3

-Japan has the 3rd largest economy in the world
-Shrinking workforce as lower labour productivity
- Highly dependent population due to ageing population
- Many Japanese women in high tech workforce: cultural shift in ideas and role of women

Question 4

What are the environmental factors causing population decline ?

Answer 4

-3/4 land is mountainous
-92% of people live in densely populated lowland urban areas
-Naturally has few resources so relies on other countries for imports
-Volcanic activity provides fertile soils and high humid temperatures is ideal for plant growth
-Highly at risk from typhoons and earthquakes which limits development
-North can get very cold to -5 but south is very hot and humid with mean temperature in January 17 (ideal growing conditions but typhoon generators)
-Disparities between rural and urban areas 93% urban leading to brain drain and rural depopulation and abandonment of areas

Question 5

What are the implications on the country AND society of population decline ?

Answer 5

• increased pressure on health and social care services
• financial pressure to provide pensions to a greater number of people
  -increased pressure on public transport as elderly people are less likely to drive
  -the need to increase tax rates for youthful population to support elderly as high dependency ratio

Question 6

What stage of the DTM is Japan in ?

Answer 6

5

Question 7

Give Japan’s birth and death rate

Answer 7

BR = 7/1000 DR= 11/1000

Question 8

Give population of Japan

Answer 8

124 million 2024

Question 9

Give fertility rate of Japan

Answer 9

1.2

Question 10

Give life expectancy

Answer 10

83 which is one of the highest globally

Question 11

How could Japan fix its declining population (return to demographic dividend)

Answer 11

Governmental policies to increase migration and provide incentives to increase fertility rates. Government funded fertility treatment. Or adaption to ageing population with investment in robotic technology for elderly care