The Rise and Fall and Rise and Fall (and Rise) of Japan 

I went to Japan a few years ago and it is hard to notice the demographic crunch until you leave the city, if you go to any suburban or rural town they are entirely filled with old people, with few children to be seen.

i absolutely love the use of national animals of each country as the representation

Baseball had been introduced to Japan during the Meiji period. The Japanese spread it with their empire and it was already the most popular sport by World War II.

I'm reading a book that talks about Japanese history called Pure Invention. It primarily talks about their pop culture's influence on the world stage

I would point out that unlike America, China, Europe, India, and (now most definitely) Russia, Japan is not faced with nearly as many potential major divisions, separatist movements, wars, and/or revolutions and enjoys a relatively much higher level of political unity and stability than these other nations. Obviously because of globalism and alliances, if one of these countries crashes, so will Japan and the rest of the world to a degree. I’m just saying Japan’s far less likely than Western and authoritarian nations to completely tear itself apart in the event of a major social upheaval.

"Japan is the most intoxicating place for me. In Kyoto, there's an inn called the Tawaraya which is quite extraordinary. The Japanese culture fascinates me: the food, the dress, the manners and the traditions. It's the travel experience that has moved me the most" --Roman Coppola

4:10 as someone whose read hirohito's biography, i think the assessment that HE personally liked or supported the expansionism is false, he was compalcent with it to a degree, but numerous times he tried to limit or outright stop it, but failed, A faction of the Imperial japanese army even wanted to repalce him with his more militarist brother, Prince Chichibu. Kominka was also started during ww2 (mass japanization) prior to that it was more autonmous, specifically in taiwan/formosa

3:14 France: Hey cut that out. Japan: Ok, I guess we’ll just go home. WAIT A MINUTE! What are you doing? Germany: Taking advantage of a weaken China. Japan: But I was the one who weakened them. Germany: We know. Japan: And you guys didn’t let me have anything. Germany: We know. Japan: That seems unfair. Germany: We don’t think so. Ok Cya Japan: Screw this! *Goes to war with Russia.*

As a Japanese citizen, I would like to mention a few things. It is no secret that Japan is experiencing an aging and declining population. On the other hand, this is a common issue in most developed countries. These countries are accepting large numbers of immigrants, and at this point, the challenges are not as apparent as they are in Japan. However, it will create a different kind of challenge. Many Japanese expect the challenges to be more difficult to solve those challenge than the mainstream opinion in the West. Many also argue that population decline itself should not be viewed so negatively, given Japan's limited land and resources. This is because the industry of the future will be the age of automation, and the world will be a place where cultural values are more important than the number of human beings. Strategies for the next era are moving in various aspects. For example, the number of consumer electronics products bearing the logos of Japanese companies has decreased compared to the past, because Japanese companies have shifted to the production of core parts. For example, 95% of the core parts of wifi are made in Japan, and the key materials for high-end semiconductors and semiconductor manufacturing equipment are made in Japan, creating a system in which the global supply chain stops when Japanese industry stops. In addition, although China is perceived as the rising power in Asia, Japan still exceeds China in the amount of infrastructure development assistance to Southeast Asian countries. Japan has been investing abroad the huge amount of assets it built during 70-90s, and is reinvesting the money it earns from the return profits back into Asia. This is not just charity, but a return on investment, and a great game to bring many Asian countries into the democratic camp.

I appreciate that you've made the change of using animals with the flag pattern on them rather then the WILDLY overused 'countryballs'

I love how you said "US put the democracy back up" as, up until the Tojo and his rag-tag gang of infuriatingly incompetent officers took over there was an imperial code called, 「憲政の常道」which means the emperor chooses whoever that was picked by the people through election, as the prime minister of Japan, whether the emperor himself likes the guy or not. He COULD choose whoever he likes but, chose not to as that would degrade the country into a Chinese empire-like absolute monarchy which, made apparent that they were a failure of a system through the war in 1894 and the consecutive events. Yes, the Japanese empire, practicing democracy, what a shocker.

Love these videos!! I really like how it is very educational with a few comedic bits that make it much more interesting

I also think Japan followed the Germany way. Once they sent someone to Germany to learn from a philosopher. (Neither of their names I can recall.) Then they decided to declare some wars to gradually rule Asia.

Japan could easily increase its population with less work hours and bigger houses with minimal cost to its economy. Cutting the work day by 2 hours and building houses that aren't the size of test tubes will make Japan based again. The cost to the economy can be mostly covered by automaton. Unfortunately Japanese politicians blame their problems on cultural changes, despite them being a symptom of decline. Also on oil, electric cars are the future, so oil will be reserved for more critical components.

3:10: I think you mean the Ryukyu Islands here. Japan took Taiwan in 1895. 8:49: Baseball entered Japan in the 1870s and was already nationally popular by the 1910s.

The need for raw materials has always haunted japan since Meiji times.

As someone who studies japan and its current problems, I'm really happy to see some optimism at least :D You man, gave me at least some hope for the future, something to believe in

Now I’m a little worried for China. Can you do a video on possible trend of the Chinese economy in the next few decades? Will it gradually shrink? Or will it stagnate? Or grow slowly? Or maintain its current pace?

just when i revisit your videos, you upload a new one... thank you good sir!

This is probably your greatest video to date

日本人は悲観的でみんなこの国は終わりだと思っているとこが強み

There are a lot of inaccuracies in this video. Japan loved baseball since long before WWII, believe it or not. It was introduced there around 1900 (I forget exactly when) and stuck. It's super easy and natural to assume baseball became popular during the American occupation, but that's why you always need to do research.

I knew all of this, but the way you presented it made me watch it anyway :)

Dude these videos are amazing

The demographic collapse will undoubtedly put the entire world in an unparalleled crisis. Completely agree with you that automation is basically the only way to mitigate this, Japan will certainly be an early adopter of these new technologies (which, hopefully, will be developed, or else we'll be back to the middle ages, but with nukes :/ )

Awesome video as usual

“In years past, a person died, and eventually all those with memories of him or her also died, bringing about the complete erasure of that person's existence. Just as the human body returned to dust, mingling with atoms of the natural world, a person's existence would return to nothingness. How very clean. Now, as if in belated punishment for the invention of writing, any message once posted on the Internet was immortal. Words as numerous as the dust of the earth would linger forever in their millions and trillions and quadrillions and beyond.” ― Minae Mizumura,

As someone who lives in Japan, I suggest enjoying it while you can. With an oppressive society and a culture that does not lend itself well to innovation or change, the future for Japan is whatever the opposite of "bright" is. The sad thing is, the people realize this but are too afraid to rock the boat to do anything about it.

Another quality video man this is great

I like how half of everyone's historical knowledge now comes from Bill Wurtz or Sam O'nella videos Edit: I feel like I should mention this isn't a jab against the video, it's a callout to anyone who has ever mentioned the Emu War

Great video!

damnn i haven't watched since u were at like 10k, its nice to see you with a checkmark! Keep it up man

The baseball thing you got wrong. BAseball was wildly popular before WW2.. Even Jim Thorpe played baseball there at one point in his career.

12:19 H0ser: Mentions Japan about death surpassing and shrinking economy. Russia: Am I a joke to you?

Please do Portugal!! Love yours videos ❤️

These videos are amazing

7:15 not only were the bombs the factor. The Soviets invading Manchuria, Korea, and southern Sakhalin starting on August 9 all at once was also a major factor

Good stuff! Mate you could hit tens of k's if the design was somewhat smoother

I’m half Japanese and dude you’ve nailed the Japanese history. My grand father was in IJN naval academy when the A bomb fell. Since it’s naval academy and they’ve thought English and other no BS stuff to win the war, his drill instructor came to barrack at night to give a daily debriefing saying “we assume this new bomb is some sort of incendiary cluster bomb, however “IF” this is an atomic bomb this means Japan is 50years behind in science against USA” He said that was the first time he ever thought Japan might lose. Also my Japanese Grandmother got strafed by US plane and got radiated from Nuke dropped at Nagasaki. Crazy story is that my grandfather on US side was NAVY pilot and he went to so many raids. He was even busier after the war flying over POW camp caz US was afraid that Japanese will execute POWs. Well, that’s the story I have. War sucks, but hope is not a plan and China really hates us so we gotta be prepared.

love your summaries always give lots of ideas that can be looked into in their own right

I remember seeing a poster in a classroom that had projections for the future sizes of economies in the 2000s; it had Japan as the largest economy followed by the US and some European countries lol

As someone who went to Japan, the place is truely fascinating, though a ‘western’ nation, it’s still amazing to see an entirely different culture.

Love the video title, keep up the good work my dude

Plz make a spanish American war vid! Love yur vids, keep up the great work ❤

I see several mistakes (e.g. Japan attacking Pearl Harbor because of US embargo instead of the Philippines' resources, as you mentioned around the 6:36 mark - Japan was importing around 80% of oil from USA, for example). Granted, you can ignore most of them in the grand scheme of things, and regardless of such issues this video's excellent af. It's always glad to see a RU-vidr I subscribed to when their channel only had 10k-ish subscribers turn out this big.

Off topic but cant wait for the Somalia Video, can you mention its relationship with Somaliland and if they could/should ever reunite. Somalia has has varies natural resources but currently relies on fruit and animal export, which isn't great. It needs the capital to access the resources, maybe investing in solar energy and exporting it to neighbouring countries(as there is a lot of land and gets a lot of sun). Also doing more with its coast, its one its advantages but isn`t used as much as it should be. Needing a navy to stop countries fishing in their waters. exporting more fish can be great. Also being in a strategically great spot it can be a great port between the Europe via the Suez onto Asia. There is so much wasted potential due to an unfortunate history, bad leadership and tribalism.

nice video!!!

I love the different video game tracks that play in the backgrounds of these videos lol

RIP Shinzo Abe

I finally found a video that parallels my view on this situation. I especially agree with the last three minutes of this video. By the way, if anyone can name the music tracks used, please reply.

Amazing video

Good vid :D

The fact that he gave a reference to his predecessor, Bill

Japan may no longer be the superstar of the 90s but to many people in Asia, they really love the post-war Japan for its culture, nature, lifestyle and consumerism. In Hong Kong they call travel to Japan as "visiting the old clan villages" as a joke, in truth most people in HK have no ties to any clan village, except Japan as a spiritual one.

Interesting video

This is the 1000th comment, also, love this type of content

There a 4 types of countries: a. Developed countries b. Underdeveloped countries c. Japan d. Argentina - Simon Kuznets

Surprising is that Japan is quite popular among a great deal of ppl and is talked about thereby...

this is the first video by hoser in a while where he speculates a good ending for a country

dayum,, its simple yet clear and correct conclusion

Japan's lost decade became two decades then became three decades. But even with a stagnated economy on paper, if you look into the lives of Japanese folk, yes the economy hasn't been as good as it was in the 80s but Japanese people are still doing very well and living decent lives with relatively decent standards of livings. The standard of living in Japan is still far better than the US and some Western nations and people aren't as afraid or paranoid as Americans who are constantly exposed to fearmongering by the media.

Japan will rise again? Thank you! it cheers me up

I love your videos

Great videos ☺️👍 To h0ser can you make a new video about switzerland please 🥺 Luv yu from🇨🇭

and Shinzo Abe just got shot. what the hell

Could you make a video of countries that would collapse soon?

do something on uzbekistan !! love your videos

i cream in my shorts a little whenever i see the iconic hoser country animal and map in my recommended :), pls make a profile vid on india next, would love to see you cover it

I read recently that the government is going to pay per kid for families to move back out of cities. I think they’ve recognized that families need more space to have more kids which isn’t wrong.

I'am suprised that the traders were below the farmers in their class-system.

Hey I just want to say that I love this channel so much. Recently I've stopped consuming low quality content like memes anime etc and started watching geographical and economical videos like yours and it's so entertaining to watch because I never was into these topics but your simple explanations make it easy to understand. Thank you

Can u do a similar vid about italy??

7:11 “I’ll make you bend the knee in round 2 like Nagasaki.” Thanos

the "demographic crisis" is a meme and way overstated, japan has the highest birth rate in asia and its higher than some european countries, its in no way unique go to any major japanese city outside of tokyo and youll be shocked how many mothers you see, especially in southern cities like hiroshima or in kyushu the demographic collapse is mostly a rural phenomenon

Starting RIGHT of the bat with the bill wurtz reference. Instant 5 stars. 👍

Love the bill wurths reference at the start

8:50 Baseball was popular in Japan long before the post-WWII US occupation.

The title reminded me of an old Brain4Breakfast video Rest in Peace man 🙏

Can you make the story of Korea in the next video?

Love the vids

"The first to crash will be the first to recover" is a pretty big assumption. The first to crash will have no opportunity to benefit from anyone else's experience. I'm mindful of the expression "The second mouse gets the cheese".

The Rice and Fall and Rice and Fall and Rice of Japan

weird note: Japan used to fly to learn about railway system in Thailand, now we only took obsolete diesel locomotive from Japan since we are still using 50+ years locomotive aka never change since when Japan still learn from us

Hi h0ser i love your videos but i liked the old countyballs they looked cool. And can you do a video on India please?

as someone who is japanese, i dont really appreciate the atomic bomb jokes. There are family and friends that because of that i dont have today.

Fun facts: The Japanese green pheasant is the national bird of Japan, and the Japanese macaque (snow monkey) is the national animal of Japan. I like the animals and I think that the pheasant was well chosen.

Very interesting video!

Do a video on the future of Bulgaria

Japan's elderly are also very healthy. Everyone talks about America and China but japan might yet surprise everyone and take number 1 spot at least in Asia!

can you do a video on morocco please ?

cool vid

I have noticed that a lot more people I moving to rural areas because they really like the country

You should make a video about Djibouti. Why it has so many military bases?

If you wanna learn more, read Peter Zeihan’s books because I will bet my ass that they are most likely the inspiration for a lot of these videos

how does this guy only have 400k subs? The content is great.

Such a great title

You completely omitted the Soviet occupation of the northern islands and pressure they presented in ending WWII. Most people do though

Do Türan Qazaqstan 🇰🇿 as My Country next please.

absolutely KILLER title

Was this posted before or after Shino Abe