When the proportion of people 65 and older exceeds 7% of the total population, a society is considered to be “aging.” Japan entered the “aging society” in 1970, when the population exceeded 7%. The aging rate has been continuously increasing since then, reaching 14% in 2007.The ratio of elderly people is expected to continue to increase. By 2060, it is expected to reach about 40%. The aging of the population is caused by two factors. The rising average life expectancy is the first, and the falling birthrate is the second.
What issues will we face if the aging of society continues? For example, disease structure is changing, and the number of people requiring nursing care is rapidly increasing. It is worried that the current healthcare system won’t be able to handle these changes. As the labor force shrinks, it is also expected that Japan’s economic activity will slow down.
The community should work together to support the elderly in order to deal with these issues in an aging society. At the same time, it is important to take drastic measures to handle the declining birthrate.