August 27, 2008 – 3:20 pm
<Life expectancies and survival rates>
Japanese life expectancies became one of the highest in the world during 1970s. According to WHO (2002), Japan also has the highest health expectancy (75 years) in the world (72.3 years for male and 77.7 years for female). The average life expectancy in 2006 was 79.0 years for male and 85.8 years for female.
Since late 1970s, Japanese population has been aging faster than most developed countries along with declining birth rates. The country became the most aged developed country in 2000. Moreover, Japanese natural population growth rate became negative at the end of 2004. The country has entered the era of population decline. Read More »
August 27, 2008 – 2:55 pm
＜Introduction＞
Japanese population peaked in 2004 and has been declining since then. Meanwhile, population aging in Japan will continue in the future, at least for the next 25 years.
Japan Aging Research Center (JARC) released the report “Japanese Population Projection” in February 2006. According to this report, Japanese population will decline to less than 90 million, and the proportion of the elderly (those aged 65 and over) will reach 40% by 2050. The elderly population itself is also expected to age in the future, resulting in the growing number of people with dementia and those who need care.
This study is conducted to understand and make projection of the elderly with dementia and those needing care. We hope that this study helps municipalities, which are responsible for the long-term care program as insurers, make their own projection of those needing services. The study started in 2006, and the first phase will end in spring 2009. Read More »
Renewal of “Aging in Japan”
Since the beginning of the 21st century, the longevity society Japan, also known as the most aged country, has increasingly attracted the international attention. Alongside, the number of requests for research projects and visitations to Japan Aging Research Center (JARC) has also been growing dramatically. This web site “Aging in Japan” was launched in response to these requests. However, things have changed since the start of this web site. Domestically, JARC has become the administrative office of Japan NGO Council on Ageing (JANCA), the network of Japanese organizations working on aging issues. As a result, our view on aging issues has broadened. Internationally, this web site has increasingly attracted a wider variety of countries and professions. Our web site visitors include not only developed and aged countries but also such countries as Brazil and Saudi Arabia, which are in the beginning phase of population aging. In terms of professions, they range from specialists to journalists.
Therefore, we are working hard to make this web site more responsive to the needs of not only specialists but also a wider audience by introducing various issues on the longevity society Japan and its senior citizens.
We will also make further efforts to exchange and share information with existing as well as new collaborators, so that our web site can include more international comparisons and make a contribution in working on the aging society from wider perspectives.
Shigeyoshi Yoshida
Executive Director,
JARC & JANCA
