Discussion week 28 - Friday the 4th and Sunday the 6th of November

 - Discussion Week 28 -

 

- Friday the 4th of November

 - The population has dropped for the first time since 1920! - 

 

The population of Japan is -0.8% as of 2015, which is apparently the first time that the population of Japan has fallen since 1920!

 

What's happening in Japan that has caused this drop, and is the population drop actually a bad thing?

 

Could there be any benefits from this drop?

 

Is there some way that the population loss could be combated without bringing in boatloads of immigrants?

 

 

Let's talk about that.

 

 

- Sunday the 6th of November

 - The drinking age in Japan - 

 

In Japan, the alcohol drinking age is 20 years old. Why is the age set so high?

In other countries, New Zealand for example, the drinking age is 18, and in Germany the drinking age is 16 for low-% alcohol (e.g. beer/wine) and 18 for stronger alcohol (and even at 14, you can buy alcohol if accompanied by an adult).

Do you think having a higher drinking age could cause young people to want to try to break the law to get alcohol even at an age when they shouldn't be allowed?

 

Or do you think having a lower drinking age can have a negative impact on young people's lives?

 

 

 

Let's talk about that.