Interview with Ms. Z

"What I find striking about Japan is how deeply its aging society shapes the way policies are made. Here, almost everything is decided through voting, and as the population grows older, policies naturally become more conservative. Elderly voters are less open to new industries or new ways of doing things, and that resistance shows up even in the smallest details of daily life. Take the example of hanko — the personal seals that are still required for official documents. A few years ago, there was a push to replace them with signatures or fingerprints, something far more efficient in the digital age. But because so many older people insisted on keeping tradition, the reform stalled.

This conservatism doesn’t just affect paperwork; it drags on the economy too. An older generation that resists change makes it harder for Japan to adapt to new industries or embrace technological shifts. It also shapes how foreigners are perceived. With fewer young voices at the table, the narrative is more easily swayed by fear and nostalgia. That’s why we’ve seen the rise of far-right movements, fueled by “Japan First” rhetoric and exclusionary attitudes. Their messaging spreads quickly, especially among older citizens who are most vulnerable to political slogans and media campaigns.

In my view, the combination of demographic pressure and political inertia makes it harder for Japan to reinvent itself. And while the country feels stable on the surface, this deep conservatism risks shutting out both innovation and the very foreign workers Japan quietly depends on to keep the system running."