Fireside Chat with The Economist's Tokyo Bureau Chief Noah Sneider

Noah Sneider, East Asia Bureau Chief, The Economist, reflected on Japan’s evolving geopolitical and economic relevance. Once seen through binary lenses of decline or cultural curiosity, Japan now serves as a harbinger of global challenges—from demographics to disaster resilience and shifting global power dynamics. Demographic pressures are catalysing cultural and economic shifts, from corporate governance to M&A and immigration. Japan’s slow but deliberate reforms—especially in talent, meritocracy, and aging business ownership—are shaping new investment and innovation frontiers.