World · East Asia & Pacific · 43 mins ago
Japan's ageing population highlights the need for planning across Asia
Japan’s internal affairs ministry says people aged 65 and over now make up a record 29.6% of the population.
Last year, 9.43 million people in Japan who were at least 65 were still working, equal to about 13.8% of all workers.
The figures show that many older people remain part of the workforce, and some are important to the businesses they work for.
Ageing is also changing labour markets and public finances across Asia and the Pacific.
The writer argues that planning should also consider how families and companies cope when someone they depend on becomes seriously ill.
The writer draws on a personal experience of intensive care at age 37 and now works on prevention.
A regional conference on population ageing is due to take place later this month in Hangzhou, China.
People aged 65 and over make up a record 29.6 per cent of Japan’s population, according to data released by the country’s internal affairs ministry.
Japan had 9.43 million workers aged 65 or older last year, about 13.8 per cent of everyone with a job.
The article says ageing is reshaping labour markets and public finances across Asia.
A regional conference on population ageing is due to take place in Hangzhou, China, later this month.
The author argues that the region should plan for ageing and consider the effects of illness on families and businesses.
- Who
- Older people in Japan and across Asia, along with families, businesses and policymakers.
- What
- Japan’s ageing population and older workers highlight the need to plan for ageing across the region.
- When
- The ministry released its yearly data last month; the conference is due later this month.
- Where
- Japan and the wider Asia-Pacific region; the conference is set for Hangzhou, China.
- Why
- Ageing is reshaping labour markets and public finances, while illness can affect families and businesses.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Japan had 9.43 million workers aged 65 or older, about 13.8 per cent of everyone with a job.
Japan’s internal affairs ministry released its yearly data ahead of Respect for the Aged Day.
The Asia-Pacific Regional Conference on Population Ageing is due to take place in Hangzhou, China.
- Older people in Japan
- 29.6 per cent of the population are aged 65 and over
- Older workers
- 9.43 million workers aged 65 or older last year
- Share of workers
- 13.8 per cent of everyone with a job
- Conference location
- Hangzhou, China
- Conference organisers
- HelpAge International, UNFPA and the China National Committee on Ageing
What people are saying
Members of Japan’s older population are not simply retired.
A large part are still at work and some of those people are the ones businesses depend on.
But we also need to consider what happens to a family or a company when the person holding it together gets sick at 45.
That experience is why I now spend my working life on prevention.
Sources
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