people from obuchi's office said they can't comment while the investigation is ongoing. obuchi has said she'll contest the general election next month. >>> japan's leaders are in a race against time. the proportion of elderly is increasing faster than any other country and the birth rate remains low. since 2007 the number of deaths each year has outpaced the number of births. the crisis is hitting home, and not just in small towns with declining industries, but in the heart of the capital. nhk world's june matsumoto reports. >> reporter: tokyo is bustling. more than 2 million people come and go at this train station, one of the world's busiest. the area is known as japan's subculture center, attracting many visitors, even from abroad. many young singles move in from across the country. unlike many other regions, the population here is still on the rise. but a nationwide study indicates that won't be the case for long. it suggests attorney imma's population of women of child-bearing age will decline to almost half by 2040. that means less and less children will be born he