Musk tweet on Japan doomed by low birthrate provokes anger - but not just at him

FILE PHOTO: Children walk on their way back from school in Tokyo June 30, 2006. REUTERS/Toshiyuki Aizawa/File Photo

TOKYO (Reuters) - An Elon Musk tweet saying Japan would "eventually cease to exist" without a higher birthrate set off a flood of sarcasm and anger on Monday - though much of the angst was aimed at a Japanese government many said did little to address the issue.

Musk, the head of electric vehicle maker Tesla Inc, at the weekend tweeted, "At risk of stating the obvious, unless something changes to cause the birth rate to exceed the death rate, Japan will eventually cease to exist. This would be a great loss for the world."