Dropping, falling, shrinking..

Ushering in the new year is (still) a stream of not-so-good news.. Everything seems to be either shrinking, falling, cutting or dropping in Japan..

• Japan sees biggest population fall
• Japan starts 2009 with record low number of 20-year-olds
• Japanese economy to shrink 6.5%, Bank of America predicts
• Recession to stay until latter half of '09: experts
• Toyota forecasts its first operating loss in 70 years
• Japanese electronics giant Sharp to book extraordinary loss of $555 million new
• Condominium Prices in Tokyo Area May Fall 10% in 2009, NHK Says
• Japan’s Bonds May Post First Loss Since 2003 as Debt Sales Rise
• Tokyo stock prices end year 42 percent down from last year's closing index
• 85,000 non-regular employees to lose work during second half of fiscal 2008
• Japan's per-capita GDP in '07 lowest among G7 countries
• Domestic vehicle production dropped 20 percent in November
• Kawasaki set to pull out of World MotoGP
• Nomura Holdings pulls out as Olympic sponsor

Not quite a good start to a new year.. hopefully things will get better..