Japan's Future: It's going to be scary"

[Mulboyne]

Executives from STRATFOR and Millenium Wave Investments predict economic and social crisis for Japan.

Video clip [url=http://finance.yahoo.com/tech-ticker/article/297420/Japan%27s-Future-%22It%27s-Going-to-Be-Scary%22?tickers=ewj,^jpn,sne,tm,jpy=x&sec=topStories&pos=8&asset=&ccode=]here[/url].

[Catoneinutica]

Interesting video! With pic of "Japan Fascism" goodness and dire predictions of "social revolution" from an old guy dressed like an 80s-vintage stand-up comedian.

BTW, the above link appears to be malformed; here's an alternative:

http://finance.yahoo.com/tech-ticker/ar ... ickers=ewj,^jpn,sne,tm,jpy=x

[Tsuru]

Not disagreeing with the economic problem, but the political side doesn't make a lot of sense. Is he seriously suggesting today's Japanese are going to stand shoulder to shoulder again and hail the emperor when their "social contract" breaks down? Where did they find this guy?

Anyway, I think China will do something about that before that even has a change of happening... the US sphere of influence over the region will continue to wane, putting Japan at the mercy of the Chinese and the Russians. Perhaps this will bring back this Japan vs. the rest of the world thing, but I'm quite sure the powers that be in the region in 20 odd years will find a way to nip it in the bud before it even happens. There may be a war over oil, gas or other resources, which Japan will no doubt lose. History repeats itself, and when push comes to shove they will probably end up doing something very, very stupid once more and bringing the fury of China onto them.

At least they won't have a chance of building much of a co-prosperity sphere and seeing how many Chinese heads they can chop off in an hour this time around.

[Catoneinutica]

Not disagreeing with the economic problem, but the political side doesn't make a lot of sense. Is he seriously suggesting today's Japanese are going to stand shoulder to shoulder again and hail the emperor when their "social contract" breaks down? Where did they find this guy?

Anyway, I think China will do something about that before that even has a change of happening... the US sphere of influence over the region will continue to wane, putting Japan at the mercy of the Chinese and the Russians. Perhaps this will bring back this Japan vs. the rest of the world thing, but I'm quite sure the powers that be in the region in 20 odd years will find a way to nip it in the bud before it even happens. There may be a war over oil, gas or other resources, which Japan will no doubt lose. History repeats itself, and when push comes to shove they will probably end up doing something very, very stupid once more and bringing the fury of China onto them.

At least they won't have a chance of building much of a co-prosperity sphere and seeing how many Chinese heads they can chop off in an hour this time around.

Agreed. The purchase by a Chinese company of pathetic, has-been electronics retailer LAOX may seem pretty trivial, but it's a clear harbinger of things to come. The Chinese are going to start buying up Japanese companies, and when the Japanese resist and invoke cultural exceptionalism and all that other bullshit they've used on Western would-be investors, the Chinese will simply say, if you want access to the Chinese market, and if you want to invest in China, you'll have to reciprocate. And then Japanese will be working for Chinese bosses. The colonizers working for the former colonized - Blinky will wish he was dead if he hasn't already blinked out by then.

[DrP]

Japan is clearly in a state of economic and social entropy. Due to the inability of the country to repopulate in a sustainable manner and at same time unable to formulate a viable immigration policy basically those that have will continue to leave or die off and the landmass will simply be annexed by a more powerful and dynamic neighbor.

[IkemenTommy]

STRATFOR and Millenium Wave Investments...

I don't disagree with the prediction, but who are these people?

[Iraira]

I don't disagree with the prediction, but who are these people?

Strategic Forecasting, Inc., more commonly known as Stratfor, is a private intelligence agency founded in 1996 in Austin, Texas. Barron's once referred to it as "The Shadow CIA".
Stratfor has published a daily intelligence briefing since its inception in 1996. Its rise to prominence occurred with the release of its Kosovo Crisis Center during the 1999 NATO air-strikes over Kosovo, which led to publicity in Time magazine, Texas Monthly, and other major publications.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stratfor

Millenium Wave Investments...hedge funds
http://www.accreditedinvestor.ws/#

[kino]

I watched the entire clip and feel dumber for having done so. You could have replaced Japan with Germany, and the content would have had about the same appeal. Country X with history Y may repeat Y in times of great societal unrest and upheaval. No shit. They didn't really have much in the way of facts to back up this stellar argument. Just seemed like unwarranted fear mongering and speculation.

[Mulboyne]

[Hikonejou]

Yep, it's not a matter of if but a matter of when China will take away everything from the Japanese.

They have the Economic, Political, and Military Power to render even the U.S. weak to to them.

If the Japanese don't start having more kids and investing into their future, then I guarantee you China will show them the way.

Soon, everyone (including the Japanese) will start greeting each other with "Ni Hao Ma" instead of "Ohayo Gozaimasu".

The Japanese Politicians need to grow some BALLS, get their "Yamato Spirit" back, and protect their Country, otherwise; this sad scenario is yet to come...

[pheyton]

So say China becomes #1, US #2, Japan #3(until India grabs this spot), Japan will be fine for decades to come, they just need to repopulate. Most of us here are pitching in to solve that problem.

China's has some serious problems to overcome though. They have major resource problems, especially water. They share the dwindling water supplies from the Himalayas with another billion plus people in India and South Asia. The era of cheap energy is coming to an end before China has fully modernized. These two problems alone could retard China's development and cripple it for a long time.

There is something about the Japanese spirit that has gotten them to where they are and will keep them there for a long time.

[CrankyBastard]

There is something about the Japanese spirit that has gotten them to where they are and will keep them there for a long time.

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[Yokohammer]

China's has some serious problems to overcome though. They have major resource problems, especially water. They share the dwindling water supplies from the Himalayas with another billion plus people in India and South Asia. The era of cheap energy is coming to an end before China has fully modernized. These two problems alone could retard China's development and cripple it for a long time.

True, but the somewhat worrying side of this coin is that in order to sustain growth they will probably need to secure resources from outside their own borders. How they go about that will be the problem .. or not.

One thing is for certain though: China is not a country/culture that will simply decide to limit growth in order to save resources. They'll do whatever they can to grow as much and as fast as they can.

[nottu]

[Greji]

Soon, everyone (including the Japanese) will start greeting each other with "Ni Hao Ma" instead of "Ohayo Gozaimasu".

Isn't Ni Hao Ma Cantonese? Are you saying Taiwan is going to take over? Wow!

[IkemenTommy]

Isn't Ni Hao Ma Cantonese? Are you saying Taiwan is going to take over? Wow!

Try telling that to Takechan and he will blow steam.

[james]

Isn't Ni Hao Ma Cantonese? Are you saying Taiwan is going to take over? Wow!

fairly certain that it's mandarin, actually (have studied a very little). taiwan does use mandarin though it differs somewhat from that spoken on the mainland.

apologies in advance if my sarcasm meter is broken and this reply was not needed.