Ageing in Japan
Japan is the fastest ageing country in the world. As Peter Day reports, this is putting a big strain on the country’s finances. Will the Japanese have to work long into old age?
Japan is the fastest ageing country in the world and now the baby boomer generation are reaching retirement. This is putting a huge strain on Japan’s finances, which are already burdened by an enormous public debt of more than twice GDP. Japan is also shrinking, because of a slowing birth-rate, so there aren’t the young workers to pay for their elders’ retirement.
Peter Day travels to Japan to find out how the country is dealing with this conundrum. On the island of Shikoku, in a village where almost half the population are over 65, he meets a 90-year old lady who is but one of many elderly people still working. Is this what the future holds for us all?
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Contributors to this programme
Atsushi Seiki
President, Keio University, Tokyo
Noriko Hama
Professor of Economics, School of Management, Doshisha University, Kyoto
Kuniko Inoguchi
MP
Tomoji Yokoishi
Founder, Irodori
Florian Coulmas
Director, German Institute for Japanese Studies
William Saito
Entrepreneur and investor
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- Sat 2 Mar 2013 11:32GMT±«Óătv World Service Online
- Sat 2 Mar 2013 19:32GMT±«Óătv World Service Online
- Sun 3 Mar 2013 04:32GMT±«Óătv World Service Online
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