I appreciate the spirit in which Jeff Huffman wrote his May 16 letter, "Japan will become more livable." But Huffman seems to make some big claims without providing facts to back them up. He says that Japan, in relation to its usable land mass and resources, is probably overpopulated "by 25 million to 50 million people." What source did he use to arrive at this large estimate, and which number is it — the lower one or the higher one?
He also says that most major metro-area trains run "above 100 percent capacity during rush hours." Could he please cite the sources that led him to this conclusion?
How exactly will Japan become more "livable" with fewer people? The general idea seems sound, but more specific, fact-based examples would be helpful in articulating this point. I would love to show his letter to my friends, but they would ask the same question: Where did the information come from?