> Japanese are not having babies so the economy is doomed. Yup. That's exactly how it goes. Our entire social structure is based on the notion that economies

> Japanese are not having babies so the economy is doomed. Yup. That's exactly how it goes. Our entire social structure is based on the notion that economies grow and will continue to grow, forever. The largest component of economic growth is not gains in productivity, which is what most people think. It's simple population growth. Each additional person means an increase in consumption of goods and services, and as a consequence, an increase in production not only for the sake of that person's consumption but also through that individual's labor. That's growth. Take away population growth and you'll have anemic growth at best and a spiraling depression at worst.