“The trend of the ageing society will continue and it is hard to expect the birth rate to rise significantly,” chief cabinet secretary Osamu Fujimura told a news conference. “Thus, comprehensive tax and social security reform is needed.”
- Forty-two million people live in Tokyo metropolitan area
- Institute: Tokyo faces 70% probability of M-7 quake within four years, 98% chance within 30 years
- Government puts 70% probability of magnitude-7 quake in region within 30 years
- March 11 quake and tsunami left more than 15,700 dead, government says
