Introduction
What’s it like to be old? According to the “World Population Review,” the average age of people in Japan is 48.6 years old. (worldpopulationreview.com, 2023) This is the second-highest number in the world. As a side note, the highest number is 55.4 years old in Monaco.
Situation and Problems
Japan’s Population Decreases By Two-Thirds in 50 Years
As the birth rate declines and the population ages, the population, especially the younger generation of workers, will begin to decline.
In Japan, the population peaked at 128.05 million in 2010 and has now begun to decline. By 2060, the population is expected to decline to 86.74 million, or two-thirds of the population in 50 years from the peak.
29.1% of people over 65 (Nugent, 2023)
The average age of the population is increasing, and there are several effects this will have on the country.
A declining population and rising average age will lead to a shrinking economy. Companies will refrain from investing funds and equipment in domestic businesses with little potential for development, and the employment of employees will also decline. Japan has been praised for being a land of hard workers with a social norm of working long hours. But the economy has been criticized as being “labor focused” rather than “people focused.” Japan’s lifetime employment system means Japanese are under pressure to choose their company over their families. (Siripala,2023)
Solution Ideas
Let’s take a look at Sweden’s birth rate and aging population policy here.
Sweden is a Nordic country equivalent to Japan in terms of land area and population, with a land area of around 450,000 square kilometers and a total population of approximately 199 million (Karita and Kitada, 2018). Sweden’s total fertility rate fell to 1.50 in 1999 before rising to 1.98 in 2010. This is attributed partly to the country’s long-term efforts to enhance the working environment, as well as its emphasis on financial support for childbirth and childrearing, as well as support for a decent work-life balance.
- Prohibit discrimination against women in employment.
- Parental Benefits (A total of 480 days of parental leave per child is available for both parents.)
- Free school education, etc.
The Swedish policy described above is relatively similar to Japan’s declining birthrate and aging population and should be used as a reference.
What can we do today?
- Create a community where the elderly are not isolated, withdrawn, depressed, or suffering from dementia or functional decline
- Increase opportunities for young people to interact with the elderly.
Conclusion
The world and Japan were experiencing dropping birth rates and aging populations. Globally, aging societies with fewer children are becoming a severe socioeconomic challenge. We feel that society must collaborate to tackle this challenge.
References
Karita, K. and Kitada, M.(2018). Political Measures against Declining Birthrate-Implication of Good Family Policies and Practice in Sweden or France. Nihon eiseigaku zasshi. Japanese journal of hygiene, 73(3), pp.322-329.
Nugent, C. (2023). Aging Populations Can Be Good for the Climate Fight—Here’s How. [online] Time. Available at: https://time.com/6250060/aging-population-climate-change-japan/ [Accessed 1 May 2023].
Siripala, T. (2023). Japan’s Population Crisis Nears Point of No Return. [online] thediplomat.com. Available at: https://thediplomat.com/2023/01/japans-population-crisis-nears-point-of-no-return/ [Accessed 3 May 2023].
worldpopulationreview.com. (2023). Median Age 2020. [online] Available at: https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/median-age [Accessed 6 May 2023].
