They were at again in the newspaper this morning, cheerily painting a bleak-as-can-be picture of Japan's impending 'Apocalypse Soon'. Apparently the number crunchers and crystal-ball gazers in the civil service got together and took a shot at predicting the country's future population trends.
By 2060 they reckon there will be some 40 million fewer people eating rice and driving Toyotas. To put that in perspective, that's the disappearance of 800,000 people a year, every year, for the next 50 years. Whoommpp! and the entire population of Connaught is gone in a year (which, admittedly, might actually be a positive thing for Galway hurling). And gone again next year, and the next, and so on.
Not content with that bit of doom and gloom, they also predicted that by 2060, close on 40% of the surviving population will be over 65 years of age. Though they softened that by saying that the average life expectancy for males and females will be an all time high of respectively 84 and 90 years of age.
Now, as an Irishman with an average life span of 76 years, these figures don't overly concern me as I will be statistically dead by 2060, but Sanae and Cian will be finding life here "grim up north".
All the more reason then to move to Singapore where life is bountiful and balmy, 'demographics' is a trendy bar on Robertson Quay, and McDonalds are still hiring (I checked).
Muroran in 2060.
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