Japanese Population Decreases in All Prefectures: LDP Cronyism (Hungary and Orbán)
Kanako Mita, Sawako Utsumi, and Lee Jay Walker
Modern Tokyo Times
Japan is blighted by decades of endless political mismanagement under the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). This is down to the “political family chairs” of the ruling LDP. Accordingly – over three squandered economic decades later concerning mainly negative to limited economic growth and static wages – the result is the highest debt ratio in the developed world and a declining population that was tolerated to fall for several decades without any serious address.
In 2022, the indigenous population of Japan fell by 801,000. Alarmingly, the population decreased in every prefecture throughout Japan for the first time since records began in the late 1960s.
Despite this and the horrendous debt ratio, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is intent on militarization and increasing tensions with China and the Russian Federation in line with the foreign policy objectives of President Joe Biden of America.
Hungary
In contrast, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán of Hungary seeks the easing of tensions between Ukraine and the Russian Federation – while focusing on family-friendly policies to boost the population of Hungary along with attracting Hungarians in the diaspora to return.
The government of Hungary fully understands the need to preserve the cultural and religious identity of the nation. After all, look at the recent crisis in France where any spark in the immigrant community can lead to riots in many cities, mass vandalism, wanton violence, and other ills – along with the chaos costing vast sums. Therefore, the leaders of Hungary seek an internal indigenous solution to the demographic crisis that blights many European nations.
Naturally, it will be difficult for Hungary and other nations to increase the birth rate. This is based on various factors. However, Hungary is addressing the issue head-on (Europe and East Asia have serious birth rate issues). Therefore, even if the 2.1 fertility birth rate by 2030 is not obtainable in Hungary but at least grows to 1.7, 1.8, or 1.9: then this will help to boost Hungary.
Over 2.2 million Hungarian also reside in the nations of Austria, Germany, Serbia, Slovakia, Romania, and Ukraine. This is significant given the population of Hungary is approximately 9.7 million today. Accordingly, the economic and infrastructural reforms implemented by Hungary will hopefully encourage more Hungarians to return – or at least to invest in Hungary.
The indigenous fertility rate in Hungary in 2011 was 1.23. By 2021, it reached 1.59 (statistics based on Statista).
However, in nations like the United Kingdom, it is endless mass immigration. Thus, the number of indigenous in London is now 36% and declining every decade. In the opposite direction, Hungary seeks to preserve its culture, history, and identity.
Japan
The non-indigenous population in Japan increased last year by 290,000. Hence, the foreign population is nearing 3 million.
Kishida recently counseled that Japan is “on the brink” – concerning the declining birth rate. Yet why is the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) saying this now?
In 1990, the birth rate hit 1.5. Accordingly, for the last few decades, the birth rate in Japan is usually around 1.4 to 1.3. Therefore, despite piecemeal policies to increase the birth rate in Japan by past administrations, nothing dramatic was implemented unlike in Hungary.
The declining birth rate was known many decades ago by the ruling LDP. However, while Japan funds foreign projects on several continents and provides an endless economic chain to Ukraine (Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is on his anti-Russia crusade) – along with increasing the military budget to the highest level ever since the ending of World War Two under Kishida: little is done to any serious degree about static wages (recent wage increases are a response to increased inflation and the cost of living crisis), the declining birthrate, the highest ratio of debt in the developed world, addressing pension concerns, and the declining rights of the working poor who are fodder in poorer regions with much lower hourly minimum pay.
Kyodo News reports, “Japan’s fiscal state is in dire straits, with debt more than twice the size of its economy. A record tax revenue of 69.44 trillion yen is estimated for fiscal 2023, but the government needs to issue government bonds worth 35.62 trillion yen to fund the state budget.”
It is difficult to trust the LDP because this party refused to take adequate tax measures during the economic boom period of the 1960s to 1980s. Accordingly, the LDP increased consumption tax during a period of endless static wages and reduced working rights.
The LDP is in the hands of dynastic family politics at the top. Therefore, it is difficult to envisage real change from the same party that stood by and did little for the last three decades.
https://www.statista.com/statistics/332502/fertility-rate-in-hungary/
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