Achieving the 21st Century ‘Depopulation Dividend’: Japan as the World’s Research Laboratory for a More Sustainable Future

Abstract

Humanity is approaching an historic transformation. Towards the end of the 21st century the world’s population will very possibly begin to decline in number, and East Asia is in the vanguard. This is being achieved in nearly all countries not via coercion, but voluntarily, as female emancipation and education, urbanisation, and economic development spread across the world, lifestyles and life choices change, and medical knowledge and technologies advance