Boris Johnson Warns Impact of Low Immigration

The mayor of London, Boris Johnson, warns low immigration could lead to economic stagnation and that we must learn from Japan.

Boris Johnson, who took part in a three-day trade visit to Japan earlier this month, has warned that Britain must learn from the Japan, where its shrinking population has contributed to a long period of economic stagnation. This came just days after Theresa May gave a speech stating that high immigration levels delivered almost no benefit to the economy.

Boris Johnson, speaking of the Japanese economy, said:

"They have been going through a long period of stagnation but they are hoping to pull out of it. They have got demographic problems. One of the questions that people in Britain might think about is obviously that they have very, very low immigration and very, very low, in fact negative, population growth, they have got a shrinking population.

"That has, of course, contributed to the long period of economic stagnation they are going through, but that has got to be seen in context. This is still an amazing, dynamic, vibrant, fantastically rich economy, the third biggest in the world and we have got to be here."

As the government comes under pressure to reduce the number of migrants entering the UK, Mr Johnson says Britain must consider the negative impact of very low immigration to the UK's economy.

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Mandy Peters

Immigration Solicitors