Japan is the “grayest” nation in the world. Close to 30 percent of the population is over 65. The reason is its low birthrate, which has caused the population to contract since 2007.
With the birthrate in the United States also dropping, what are the implications of a shrinking population, and what lessons can be learned from Japan?
Guest: Motoko Rich, the ... Show More
Oct 7
Three Vans, a Startled Farmer and an Iranian Plot Against the U.S.
What exactly happened near an air base in Britain used by the United States?Eric Schmitt, a national security correspondent for The New York Times, discusses what he’s learned about the mysterious events around the base, including the abrupt withdrawal of U.S. Air Force bombers.G ... Show More
22m 35s
Nov 2025
How Smaller Families are Changing the World
Across the globe, there is a shift in the size of families as birthrates decline. Communities, schools, and workforces are all shrinking at an alarming rate. Even in the wealthiest countries populations are aging and straining key social systems. How are smaller families changing ... Show More
22m 5s
Feb 2023
How to adapt for an ageing world, with Vegard Skirbekk
Following the Japanese prime minister Kishida Fumio's recent warning that his country's demographic crisis was approaching a tipping point, Katie Stallard speaks to Vegard Skirbekk, a population economist at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health and author of Decline and Prosp ... Show More
20m 44s
Nov 2021
Baby Boom or Bust
Birth rates in many countries, including China, Japan, Italy and the UK have dropped below replacement level. Clare McNeil asks if we should be concerned about this, and the burden it will place on taxpayers and the young, or welcome it as a good thing for climate change, where s ... Show More
29m 8s