Japan’s recent decline to the fourth-largest economy in the world highlights the growing difficulties it confronts due to its ageing population and declining currency. Even though growth appears to be picking up steam in the fourth quarter, Japan’s yearly output is expected to be less than Germany’s in terms of dollars, which raises questions about the country’s economic future.
Germany offers little guidance or comfort due to its declining economy, which is characterised by rising energy prices, inflation, and slow growth.
The imminent rise of India, which the IMF projects will overtake Germany by 2027 and Japan by 2026, signals a major recalibration of the world economy. Against the ageing populations of Japan and Germany, India’s youthful demographic dividend and steady population growth make it a powerful force in innovation and manufacturing.
Meanwhile, the United States experiences a subdued deceleration in consumer inflation, signalling broader shifts in the global economic panorama. The features of global economic leadership are changing as countries negotiate the challenges of demographic shifts and economic policies.
This flux underscores the imperative for nations to adapt, innovate, and collaborate to thrive in an ever-changing global economic landscape.