ABSTRACT
This chapter looks at some of the demographic challenges that Japan faces and how these get played out in the big cities such as Tokyo. The chapter commences by giving an account of Shibuya and considers what we can learn about Japan through what we can see in the image of that famous crossing and the area around it. This rise of nuclear power as a means of electricity production was not merely a reflection of a national policy, but also the dynamics of local politics. The chapter talks about one of the problems that Japan appeared to be grappling with for many years: people not spending money. Although many cities have seen the rise of large supermarkets in recent years, a ubiquitous feature of the shopping experience in Japan is the convenience store. In family households, women take care of the household finances, although the husband is likely to be the main salary earner.
