Japanese, their living spaces, even their friendships are shrinking

CommentThe country's downsizing trend is especially acute among the young and in urban areasDownsize and thrive: This Tokyoite lives in an apartment that has the space of three tatami mats, around 5 square meters. (Photo by Tokuyuki Matsubuchi)NAOFUMI NAKAMURAAugust 15, 2026 17:00 JSTTOKYO -- Let's take a look at Shohei Ohtani, who stands more than 1.9 meters tall, and Japanese volleyball players, some of whose physiques are nearly as large as their foreign rivals. The perception here is that Japanese people are getting taller and bigger.