Regarding the May 31 Kyodo article "Aging population a drag on economy: Shirakawa": Isn't Bank of Japan Gov. Masaaki Shirakawa forgetting something? The very same aging demographic whom he bemoans for being a "drag" on the economy built a world-class economy during the 1960s and 1970s!
It was the Japanese worker, now in his or her retirement years, who sacrificed so much and labored so hard 40 or 50 years ago to give rise to Japan's much celebrated postwar "Economic Miracle." Does Shirakawa even understand the cruel irony of his remark?
Japan's annual Respect for the Aged day in mid-September should be one of the most important celebrations in the calendar year. Talk about miracle workers! Perhaps the Bank of Japan has been a drag on Japan's economy. I'm sure that some aged economists or banking experts would agree with me.
The opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are the writer's own and do not necessarily reflect the policies of The Japan Times.