Tokyo could start limiting the number of vehicles transiting the city -- think of Singapore and its various toll charging and vehicle registration systems, which have kept annual vehicle growth down to just 1.5% a year.

Changes in this sector shouldn't be surprising: the high yen, the government's pressure on employers to choose between full-time workers or nothing, and the increase of employee social welfare compulsory contributions.

The Swiss have a very similar number of inbound tourists each year and much like Japan, the sources of Switzerland's tourists are nearby countries.

Most recent was the Hoei Eruption of 1707, when when Fuji was active for several weeks, spewing out an estimated 800 million cubic meters of ash.