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Asia is entering a new, post-youth era
The East Asian Miracle propelled the region forward. But a growing demographic deficit will guarantee some of the most challenging decades ahead.
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In 2040, the number of seniors in China alone will triple to 329 million compared to 2005, threatening long-term economic growth.
PHOTO: NYTIMES
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Last March, the few remaining pupils and teachers sang the school song for the last time at the Nanmoku Elementary School, a two-hour drive from Tokyo.
As the closing ceremony drew to a close, the principal handed over the school flag to the village mayor. From 11,000 in 1955, only about 1,500 people live in Nanmoku today.
