I was talking to a joshikōsei (女子高生, high school girl) friend of mine (yes, I'm fully aware of this exalted position) and she told me that these days in sociology class, Japanese teens are taught that by the time they start paying taxes, the ratio of college grad workers to nenkinzoku (年金族, pension plan tribe) will be 1 to 3.5. This means my friend must carry the equivalent of 3.5 persons over 65 on her frail shoulders, with her taxes, until she herself retires. Currently, the ratio is 1 to 1.5.