Aging Japan and the Herbivore Male

Japan has been at the forefront of technological advancement and wacky creativity for decades. Their feats are made doubly impressive by the fact that they transformed themselves from a war-torn nation into what is now the third largest economy in the world. What all their modern flair hides, however, is the pervasive aging crisis that's slated to lower Japan's population by 38 million. They're aging faster than any country in history, and it's reported that by the year 2050, four out of ten Japanese people will be 65 or over.

Ridiculous, isn't it? That's 30% of the entire population! For as long as I've been a fan of everything from Japan, I've been under the impression that everything was just fine and dandy over there. Apparently not, considering how they are still in a recession; this population issue will only serve to worsen their situation. There are numerous reasons for the aging crisis, with one being how Japanese people live forever. Japanese people are some of the healthiest people on Earth, and considering the kind of care elderly people receive, a lot of them end up being 80 and still active. They just hang around forever, and refuse to die.

The elderly are projected to outnumber the young.

Another, more pressing reason for Japan's population crisis is the unusually low birthrate. Women just aren't having enough kids. The reasons for why are unclear, but there are a few solid theories. First of all, it seems that in general, lower class families tend to have more children. This phenomenon is clearly seen in the poorer areas of developed nations, and in countries with a high level of poverty. We don't see this too often in Japan, however, considering how highly educated their population is.

This isn't to say Japan doesn't have poor people; of course they do. But in general, Japan is a highly developed nation with an incredibly high literacy and education rate. Because of this enormous percentage of healthy, educated workers, there are hardly any families that try to get larger than four members. Cramped living spaces, easy access to birth-control, and a desire to raise a limited number of highly educated children contribute to this trend. So, it all makes sense now, right?

Well, here is where it gets interesting...

There has been talk about "herbivore men" in Japan. A herbivore male is basically a man who shys away from competition, choosing instead to lead a safe, comfortable life filled with hobbies and devoid of social interaction. To put it simply, herbivore men are the "nerds" of society. Now, I find this slightly humorous but mostly disturbing. According to Lifenet, a Japanese insurance company, a poll of 1000 men in their 20's and 30's revealed that 75% of men identify themselves as herbivore men. Really? 75 percent? And herein lies the problem. There is genuine concern that this rise in antisocial men is contributing to Japan's birthrate crisis.

It may sound silly, but this has been a very real discussion for some time. These "herbivore men" are seen as contributing very little to society because of their refusal to participate in "the game". They recede into their own noncompetitive worlds with justifications involving a "lack of interest", but I believe this to be a very powerful example of denial. It seems that they are simply so far beyond trying to live up to society's expectations that they just give up. What results is the woman's struggle to find an attractive mate. Attractiveness may be subjective, but one undeniable reality is that women biologically seek men who demonstrate assertiveness and power. It would seem that they're failing to do so because of this startling lack of meat-eaters.

Sal 9000, the man who married his Love Plus character

Again, it may sound far-fetched and insignificant, but there are actually a handful of other countries (South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan) that also exhibit this exact phenomenon, and it's just alarming to me because I've been oblivious to all of the troubles that have come from Japan's widespread otaku culture. As much as I am of a fan of all things virtual and Japanese, I can't say that I agree with how "herbivore males" are leading their lives. A subject that should normally be none of our concern is actually contributing to a national crisis, so I believe that it's probably in everybody's best interest to note the possible harm that this new escapist culture is doing. It may just save a country.