The decline of the birth-rate, an important factor in the downward correction, is expected to reduce the subsidiary population vital index substantially in the first half of the 21st century, ease the pressure from the crisis, and enable desirable measures to be undertaken.
However, we must note that the high birth-rate of the past will lead to a drastic rise in the young population, which could activate development if employment opportunities are successfully increased, but could cause social disorder if not. The past high birth-rate will also bring fast aging of the population. It is estimated that the proportion of the population of 65 years of age and over to the world population will reach 7% in 2000 and 15.1% in 2050 (the latter is the current level in Japan). Furthermore, although a decrease in population growth rate is expected, the first half of the 21st century will continue to see an immense annual increase in the population, which requires particularly grave consideration.
The world population is nearly at six billion now. The Asian population is approaching 3.7 billion, accounting for more than 60% of world population. Among the Asian nations, China and India, the world's two most populous nations, need to be given special attention. The Chinese population is forecast to reach 1 billion 276 million in the year 2,000, and the Indian 1 billion 6.8 million, making a giant population of 2 billion 280 million. These two countries hold a total population which is more than three times that of Europe. In other words, the Asian population is nearly 61% of the world population, and the Chinese and Indian populations together account for 62% of the Asian population.
In terms of the scale of population, Asia can be considered as representing the world while China and India represent Asia, and the presence of these areas has an even more important implication in that their populations' activities reflect those of the regions they belong to, and can affect other regions as well.
