Razib Khan's Unsupervised Learning Noah Smith: Japanese and American politics
Nov 18, 2025
Noah Smith, an economist and Substack author known for his insights on Japan and public policy, dives into the transformative political landscape in Japan. He discusses how Japan shifted from minimal immigration to actively recruiting foreign workers, driven by demographic needs. The conversation also explores the implications of new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's policies and America's own cultural vibe shift, contrasting post-wokeness sentiments with right-wing ascendance. Smith shares thoughts on social media's role in radicalization and its impacts on U.S. politics.
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Japan's Rapid Immigration Pivot
- Japan shifted from low immigration to active recruitment in the 2010s due to demographic collapse and labor shortages.
- Abe's policies fast-tracked residency and citizenship, making high-skilled immigration easier than before.
Immigrants Often Blend Into Japanese Streets
- Many recent immigrants to Japan come from neighboring Asian countries and often blend visually into street scenes.
- This visual similarity helps explain why foreigners feel less visible to casual observers in Japan.
Modern Japan, Deep Norms
- Japan's modern daily life is largely contemporary, not dominated by ancient traditions.
- Still, strong norms of rule-following and politeness create assimilation challenges for newcomers.
