Chapter 2 Talking Politics: Demographic Variables and Policy Measures in Japan

behaviour, structures of migration and people’s life expectancy, translate into pol-icy fields as family, replacement and old-age policies. The study at hand shows how Japan (one of the most rapidly ageing and shrinking nations) is addressing this demographic change through various policy measures. It will be argued that Japan is putting much effort into old-age policy, thereby addressing the present needs of a growing elderly population. Japan, however, only hesitantly takes upon issues of family and replacement policy. Historical and ideological taboos prove to be too per-sistent to allow for radical policy changes. These, however, are necessary in order to comprehensively deal with the future challenges of demographic change