To add to this discussion, the pyramid scheme of constant population growth to pay for the elderly is not going to be sustainable forever in first world countri

To add to this discussion, the pyramid scheme of constant population growth to pay for the elderly is not going to be sustainable forever in first world countries. Maybe Japan is intelligently embracing these 'growing pains' (by which I mean the pain resulting from a shrinking population, which the west will have to face at some point) now, by investing in robots and automation. I think they are getting a head start in a race against ageing that we will all (all of us with birthrates below 2.1, that is) have to compete in at some point.