For my own country Denmark, if you adjust GDP for population growth (which is due to immigration) and inflation, we did not have any growth for the past two decades.<p>However we did successfully create a housing boom&#x2F;bubble, while the Japanese are deflating theirs.<p>Also as others have mentioned GDP can be an amazingly stupid measure where crime or an poorly organised health care system give higher output while harm.<p>Japan is a wealthy country.