I think it is a smaller demographic than the article makes out, but I think that the "New Japan" is going to NEED to come about in the next 10 years if we have any chance of staying afloat as an economic power.

Because of our aging population, in the next 15 years, 1/6th of our population will die. While the strain on the pension system will be lifted, I'm left to wonder if the seniority system has gotten to the point where there will be no changing of the guards -- and the future generations are left in charge of something that they have no idea how to maintain.

There's a saying in Japanese that companies last for 3 Generations:

1) The 1st Generation Innovates & Creates

2) The 2nd Generation only knows how to Maintain

3) The 3rd Generation only knows how to Decline

There are exceptions of course, but as a generality, I have found it to be mainly true.