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Keith Fitz-Gerald of Money Map Press on the recent election in Japan and whether more stimulus will boost the economy.
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Landslide victory over the weekend for the liberal Democrat party in Japan that means.
More money printing a lot more stimulus is not gonna bring Japan out of its twenty year doldrums joining us now is Keith FitzGerald with money -- -- Just come back from a trip to Japan on Friday I think it was and that you spent a lot of time -- your -- -- Japan excellent right that's basically what you law yet.
Well experts are big term but I've been over there for more than twenty years off and -- -- I I think I know.
At that much so what would would discuss money printing and more stimulus is it gonna get -- out of the doldrums but I got another question.
Russian topping the new prime minister.
He's making noises about abandoning the pacifist element in Japan which is.
Limiting its cut the -- -- role on its armed forces getting rid of those limits.
I won't be a real sea change for Japan.
And yes they would because -- pacifist constitution was basically written by the United States occupational forces following world war two and it's been implemented.
There -- -- number of people I think the the election itself was a non event but what happened is there's a reformist party that's come in.
-- -- -- hot that is -- I think the real seat that's got fifty seats.
And they -- gonna exert unprecedented influence I think on -- to get things done including some very very interesting proposal revising constitutions.
Wanna OK if they revise the constitution spent the whole mall more money on the military and they spent the whole ton of money on stimulus and they print up a storm of the yen.
Does that get Japan out of the Malays.
And fortunately now know why not.
Know what.
I don't see -- they've got to demographic problem as you and I've discussed many times -- they are dependent on exports those are falling the economy's contracting they have increasingly few workers.
Supporting huge generation of retirees.
This is a non reversible window of opportunity.
Just seems incredible to me that's thirty years ago 25 years ago let's say that Japan was the economic Superman of the world they could do nothing wrong with.
And now there -- an abject decline and you're telling me there's no way out really.
What I have of the Japanese people feel about this they know what's going on.
They know that -- decline though that led the to that that people are dying out what are they feel about it.
Well many of them is understandably you and I would be are actually heartbroken to watch their nation to go off their own cliff it's not a fiscal clippers save it to go off the demographic clip.
Certainly concerns them however they have a stick to -- goodness that's that we don't have for example so they will persevere they will get through this it's not determined how they're gonna do that yet.
But there's discussion.
Leading right to the core the constitution so I think people are beginning to realize that they're gonna have to change.
What makes them Japanese T even survive this.
I am told that liberated young Japanese women simply will not get married because if they do.
They'll be tied to a very traditional role staying at home essentially establishing a family story very traditional guy who spends very little time at home.
There's an unwillingness to have children because of the emancipation of women.
And the non change of Japanese men.
That accurate.
Yes it's very accurate not only that but the young couples or young people are less interest in sex and they've ever been before.
They don't want to have children because it become prohibitively expensive to do so.
We in fact know several families who have made a conscious decision not to have even one child because theoretically that could bankrupt even middle class family in Japan by the time you get a child all the way through university you just made an extraordinary statement.
Young Japanese a less entrusted in sex.
That is correct -- explain not want.
Well I don't have the number -- -- my head but these statistics in the last few years have shown.
That couples both men and women of fertile age for lack a better term.
Are less interest -- is sexual relations and they've ever been before now they're number of reasons for that there's computerization.
There's technology there's expense there's the formality of relationships the cost of a marriage.
But the bottom line is we have socially -- very real phenomenon over there where they simply are not.
Having sexual relations to agree that they used to and certainly not sexual relations that are producing children.
Charles you know.
I I grab a reading this phenomenon the grass -- young men who rather you know hang out of beauty salons and play hang around with each other.
They don't want the father's careers and that interest and women then.
It's it's apparently they say it's a real thrilled the little over there.
Well it's a very real problem and you can see this show for example when I first started going to Japan it was the thing to do to go out to the night like to go to -- Maharashtra go dancing.
Sex was just like it was in the go lawyer here in the United States it was it was there was a lot of it in it was easy to find.
But today if you go out obviously on party over the hill gang now but if you go out you look at the younger group that's out there you really don't see that kind of couple you don't see that kind of writers -- or socialization.
Between men and women it's a very very market change just in the 25 years I've been going back to -- Japan last one I know you are not as familiar with China as you all in Japan boss.
Nowadays we think of China's economic Superman do you think there's a chance that in 25 years will be looking at China as in total decline.
I don't know about terminal decline but there's something called the window of opportunity China's window of opportunity doesn't close and that's defined as opposed moderate post mature generation we have a huge portion that's over retirement age.
That window actually doesn't close to about 20/20 five our window here in the United States closes in about when he fifteen.
Japan's window opened in 1960 closed and roughly.
1997.
I believe I have to check my numbers.
But yes China is going to have the same problem that Japan does but it's so much bigger sheer number of people.
There's probably in not to be 2.5 point 120 point five point 53 I just find this Palestinians and Keith I think you and I share an interest -- demographic something is one of the great move was -- -- -- -- and the economy around the world.
Keith thanks very much for joining us I wanna do more on this.
In the next next yet okay we'll do it thanks very much that will.
