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Prospects of population decline in Japan
Population and Societies
n° 449, October 2008
As the number of births falls below replacement level in many countries, the developed world is living with the fear of demographic ageing and population decline. With one of the world’s lowest fertility rates - 1.3 children per woman - and the highest life expectancy, Japan is an extreme illustration of this trend. Analysing the latest Japanese population projections, Jacques Véron explains the inevitable and possible consequences for the country’s demographic future.