The depreciation of the yen is boosting demand in industries like shipbuilding, where companies are scrambling to hire enough workers, especially in areas where the number of working-age individuals is declining.
The number of people in Japan aged 15 to 64 has steadily declined since the mid-1990s, falling below 80 million, or about 62 percent of the total population, as of October 2013.
Should the trend continue, the ratio could drop to just over 50 percent by 2060 — a level where economic growth can no longer be expected, experts say.