Why is Japan so rich?

[ribuck]

Canada - population, you did not breed fast enough

Take a limited amount of drinking water, crop growth, tar sands, grazing land, etc. Divide by the number of people. In the long run, the countries that breed slowest are going to have the most resources per person.

The slow breeders just have to overcome the demographic bubble of the ageing baby boomers. Luckily, there's lots of economic friction that can be removed from the system, if there is the political will to let the people be prosperous.