Japan's Lost Decade - An Economic Disaster [Documentary]

Japan in the 1990's suffered one of the greatest financial blowouts in history. In this episode we take a look at the formation and bursting of the great Japanese bubble and the ripple effects that can still be seen today.

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Producer: Dagogo Altraide, Tawsif Akkas
Writers: Meehan Kathan, Dagogo Altraide
Editors: Brayden Laffrey, Dagogo Altraide

[rech.]

I love how as soon as you start talking about the golf clubs, your voice starts trembling like you can barely contain your laughter

[thehungrysage]

I remember seeing a comment about modern day America reflecting 1990's Japan. Many young Americans are struggling to hit important life events that were deemed important by American culture. Many young Americans can't afford homes, struggling with the inflated prices, yet the stock market and real estate market remain near all time highs. Birth rates are declining, mental angst has been rising, a sense of hopelessness is filling the air. This channel has really made me understand how important economics is when it comes to shaping people. I always thought it was just business and numbers, but it dictates cultures.

[alt_zaq_esc]

One of the things tormented the youths in lost decades was that their own parents didn't believe their sons and daughters couldn't get a good job because of the economic downturn but because they just didn't work hard enough. Japanese society as a whole gave almost no help and left the majority of lost generation to Jiko-sekinin (literally: self responsibility, meaning: it is your own fault and not ours) state despite many stats showing their struggles comapared to their parents.
What is interesting to me is that the recent "entitlement" debate has some resemblance to Japan's "jiko-sekinin" debate. I feel lost generation is looming up in the States as well.

[Glosept]

I was captivated by this video from the moment it started playing, the music, that instant nostalgia from that vintage cinematography … very well executed video

[ppwingspan]

The production quality of this video is just through the roof, amazing. Good job, Dagogo and Team ColdFusion!

[thanos]

You just unlocked a new obsession for me. Vintage 1980s videos of Japan.

[Elongated_Muskrat]

Japan is living 20 years in the future, 40 years ago.

[zanjapan]

Good jobs for creating such a video! I’m a Japanese in 30s and one of the lost generations mentioned in this video. Once I was a Hikkikomori who was detached from society. Now I work and have a wife living happy life, but thinking about the future of Japan, I get pessimistic. Honestly, Korea’s surge while Japan gets stuck is striking to me.

Anyway, this video makes me nostalgic on the periods in which I even never have lived. Thanks

[OtterFlys]

I’ve enjoyed and learned so much from your work, Thanks!

[liothomasart]

17:50 my boy threw us some AI music about the financial collapse of Japan. What a time to be alive.

[daisei-iketani]

I arrived in Japan as a teenager in the early 80s. This video brought back many good memories of my youth. After the bubble collapsed, so many of my Japanese friends and I just assumed that the economy would bounce back after a while and all we had to do was just 我慢 (gaman: endure, don't give up, persevere) for just a little bit longer. But that time of "gaman" turned into decades of our entire adult lives. We still do our best and endure despite tough economics and so many natural disasters, which makes it ever more important to appreciate any small pleasures we can find whether that be meeting up with old mates at a local izakaya, taking the time to appreciate the cherry blossoms while walking my dog along the local river, or just being grateful that some of our baby boomer parents in their 80s and 90s are still healthy and living independently. I will always keep the memories and friendships I made during my formative years at the end of the Showa Period close to my heart. I only regret that my nieces and nephews will likely never know the same sense of communal pride, excitement, and positive outlook for the future we once had. Despite the hardships of the past 40+ years, immigrating to Japan was the best decision I could have ever made.

[ounisolos]

The reason I’m watching this is because apparently lily chou chou was created to show how teenagers were affected by the lost decade so now I’m hooked. I also realized that this explains why early japanese 2000s movies with no plot, just centering the lifes of teenagers and young adults have a specific feeling to it. No wonder i’ve loved early japanese 2000s movies for like three years now since I was 13 😭🙏🏼

[joshtube]

Great work Dagogo. Thanks for another great doco! :)

[ebubechiibegbula]

When money gets cheap, people get crazy with debt, this statement is

[THC]

When the narrator mentioned 'The Lost Generation' of where they're pressured of getting good grades, securing a high paying job, but facing limited job opportunities, it hits really hard to me. This generation is referring to people who were born in the 80s-90s during Japan's economic downfall...aka The Millennials. I myself belong to this generation and I feel their pain.

[grapefives]

I've missed your videos covering recent historical events!

[ALIHUSSEIN-icgz]

Nice work, thanks for making such nice informative content

[GRAamazeCE]

Well done! As a westerner living in Japan since the early 80's, I witnessed first-hand the bubble and its collapse, and continue to live with the after effects. My children, nephews and nieces have had to endure the economic stagnation and stagnated corporate strategies and tactics. Many corporations are still requiring their staff to follow bubble-era practices that simply do not work in today's fast-paced world. The younger generation realizes that things need to change, but there is no leadership in either industry or government willing to take the risk to change things. I dread to think of how difficult it will be for my grandchildren to find meaningful work unless thinking here changes.

[polysporin]

not lost decade. lost decades.
like 40 years. Still down.

[badisheffey]

Great video. Keep up the excellent work!