Japan’s Birth Rate Crisis

One the less memorable anime series of 2010 was Sora no Woto (“Sound of the Sky”), which can be described as “K-On! + Strike Witches with Bugles.” Set in a post-apocalyptic future, it follows a group of five cute girls who have joined the army and are manning a fortress to guard against encroachment by a rival nation. While the show didn’t win too many fans, one of the more amusing parts of its premise was that there was an ancient and mysterious race of technologically advanced people who had gone extinct centuries before…and they were Japanese. Last week Japanese researchers launched a “Population Clock” showing the population of Japan and, based on current projections, how many years the country has left before they die out entirely due to its low birth rate. It was widely reported in the news media, including Fox News, and has led to a lot of discussion about what the Japanese might do to turn things around.

Are Japanese destined to die out, as in Sora no Woto?