What is happening in Japan?

Another election, another prime minister elected in Japan. Japan had more government changes in six years that we have it here in more than twenty years. People in Japan are desperate to find a leader who can lead them out of their current malaise. It used to in the eighties that there were fears that the Japan will take our the U.S. since they were on a buying binge, buying all kind of American Icon properties and all the innovation was being done in Japan. Now it is no more the case, the rise of Apple® and other manufacturers from South Korea and rise of China has put a dent to the term "Japan, Inc.". With a decade long property bust in Japan starting the 1990, Japan has not fully recovered from that period. I love Japan and I have been there once. It is a beautiful country with hard working people, but no matter whatever way you cut it, it is in slow and steady decline. I don’t want to sound pessimistic but there are factors that are hampering the growth of Japan. I am no Japan expert but by following Japan for a long time and have visited that place, I have certain ideas of what is going on Japan that is making them go to slow decline. The first of all I believe is the population. Japanese population is not growing as it should be and that it is ageing faster than any industrialized nation in the world. Add to that, there is this huge problem of xenophobia that is the fear or hostility towards foreigners.