The Peter Zeihan Podcast Series Lessons From Japan's Demographic Collapse || Peter Zeihan
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Jan 23, 2026 Japan's staggering birthrate of 1.15 births per woman highlights a critical demographic crisis. The discussion expands to global fertility declines, illustrating a worrying trend across various continents. With industries relocating to more prosperous allies, Japan's strategic shifts reveal how demographics shape defense capabilities. The interplay of deglobalization and aging populations raises alarms about potential food shortages and industrial collapse. These insights invite us to reconsider the broader implications of population decline.
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Podcast Recorded From Family Basement
- Peter Zeihan records from his childhood basement while visiting his parents in Iowa due to extreme cold.
- He jokes this setting makes it sound like he was chained to a radiator for 15 years.
Japan's Irreversible Fertility Decline
- Japan's fertility rate is 1.15, well below the 2.1 replacement threshold.
- Once a country falls below replacement, reversing the decline is extremely difficult.
Aging But Strategically Resilient
- Japan remains the oldest population but has slowed its aging through healthcare and workforce changes.
- The country repositioned industry into allied nations and preserved naval projection to match its needs.