The Sun Also Rises: Lessons from Japan

This talk will be divided into two parts. FUTURIST magazine editor Patrick Tucker will first discuss the six months he spent in Japan prior to the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.

Japan’s population is aging and shrinking—a lethal combination for economic growth, according to many outside observers. Older populations draw down savings rather than reinvest, and they strain public services and government budgets—a particular worry in Japan, where the debt-to-GDP ratio is above 200%. Japan is also saddled with insufficient natural resources and waning geopolitical influence.

But Japan is also a world leader in green product design, hardware design, and personal robotics. In the coming decade, Japan will leverage its technology strengths in an attempt overcome its economic and demographic challenges. The country's success or failure in this effort will be instructive for other developed economies with aging populations.

In the second portion of the talk, Tucker will discuss his experience in Japan in the wake of the disaster.

In April, he took a bus through a nuclear meltdown and camped out in a disaster zone to see how the March 11 Tōhoku Earthquake and tsunami affected the lives of the people of Japan. He saw a city hanging from the trees, heard startling tales of survival and loss, and personally met dozens of stiff-spined Japanese young people who signed up for a surprisingly dangerous mission.

He also saw how social networking and next-generation emergency housing can save lives the next time megadisaster strikes.

Who should attend: This will be a general interest session appropriate to all.
What you’ll learn: Attendees will get a first-person perspective on the future of Japan and a rare glimpse into life in the tsunami-affected zone one month after the event. They will also learn about how social networking and next-generation emergency housing will save lives next time mega-disaster strikes.

How can this new knowledge be applied: Participants can use this information to broaden their understanding of the world and particularly Asia.

Patrick Tucker, senior editor of THE FUTURIST magazine and WFS director of communications.

key words: Japan, disaster relief, demographics, emergency management, social networking, emergency housing

issue areas: Social and Cultural Trends