From the rise of stratospheric balloon funerals and progressively softer biscuit recipes to the use of noodle discounts to bribe the elderly into surrendering their driving licences, Japan’s demographics have produced a fine array of unexpected consequences. They could now, conceivably, include persuading a giant cohort of young Americans — the 23mn 18- to 29-year-olds who still live with their parents — to at last fly the family nest.The clue to how this might happen emerged last week when Sekisui House, the heavyweight Osaka-based homebuilder, said that it was buying Denver-based MDC for $4.95bn. The deal will not only be one of the largest undertaken in the sector by a Japanese buyer, but will catapult Sekisui into the top five US homebuilders as measured by 2022’s completed sales.
从平流层气球葬礼的兴起，到越来越软的饼干配方，再到用拉面折扣诱惑老人放弃驾驶资格，日本的人口结构产生了一系列令人意想不到的结果。可以想象，这些结果现在可能包括说服一大群美国年轻人——2300万18岁至29岁仍与父母同住的年轻人——最终离开父母的巢穴。