[w1ntermute]

1. Overcrowding in Japan is largely due to such a large percentage of the population congregating in Tokyo. If the Japanese economy (and thus population) were more decentralized, this wouldn't be such a big problem.

2. A lot of the reasons for the high cost of living has to do with protectionism. For example, the rice farmer lobby benefits from very high tariffs on imported rice. Most of the rice farmers are old men, so more young people (or the existing young people being more politically engaged) could actually help fix this problem.

[a8da6b0c91d]

With regard to #2, Japan has a food security problem that will be alleviated by a lower population. Cramming more people in and becoming even more vulnerable to a disruption in shipping is an obviously bad idea.