>You are muddling issues and mixing them with apocalyptic sentences that really don't persuade anyone. For starters, European economies differ wildly between each other, and their public debt as has not been held by their own citizens for a very long time. Comparing "Europe" with Japan is very imprecise.

Im not trying to persuade anyone, Im a nobody with no reach, my words dont matter. I'm not narcissistic to think otherwise.

I am totally fine with people making bad decisions. Welcome to history 101.

As for 'apocalyptic' sentences. That wasn't my words, that was the prime minister of japan's words and I agree with his conclusions. It's rather set in stone at this point, they are going to need to reduce tax burden in at least half before they'll get their fertility rates up.

>That future Germans will likely be free to repel or ignore. Who is going to punish them, the dead? Constitutional amendments pledging this or that budgetary action are largely performative. Even EU-level rules (which have no basis in actual economic science, the writers themselves admitted to making up things like 3% debt/gdp ceiling etc) are mostly a pledge, which the big players ignore in practice whenever they see fit.

They could repeal sure but I very much doubt that happens. They are already aware of the wealth benefits of maintaining a balanced budget. Switzerland especially has learnt this one.

>Because society nets are expanding elsewhere...? They're contracting everywhere, you mentioned Spain yourself but it's the same everywhere. Precisely because of misplaced budgetary obsessions.

In my other comments I explained how we're at the end of a major political movement. Yes I realize HN seems to have a hivemind thinking that this political movement is on the verge a grand success.

I actually fail to see where they are expanding?

UK 4.1 -> 2.4

France 8.4 -> 5.65

Italy 10.61 -> 3.12

Spain 5.36 -> 2.96

Australia 9.65 -> 3.84

Netherlands 7.75 -> 2.95

Canada 6.92 -> 2.58

Do I dare pull out the calculator to figure out the average decrease over the last 3 decades?

Japan and SK are worse off obviously. when this political movement failed in 1989, it really held on as hard as it could, rebranding over and over. I'm not even sure what they call themselves this week.

>Japan is not perfect, but their model has a lot going for it.

Japan does not have much going for it.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_Decades

This wiki page needs updating, they are still having a lost decade. Shinzo Abe got assassinated over this.

Toyota, Sony, Panasonic, Sharp, and Toshiba.

But I look at those names and I feel like we're talking about 20 years ago. Those brands are barely holding on today.

Their population decline has already started and has already caused problems.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jan/23/japans-ageing-...

In 2012, retirement age was 60, and now its 64.

In about 2030 or so it will reach 70. This is set in stone. I dont care if Fushida fixes fertility, you cant spawn 20 year olds. So in 2040 or so Japan will no longer have the retirement pyramid scheme.

Essentially, if you're not retired already, you're probably working for your entire life. Yikes.