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Change Your Life! |
Japan-Growing Old With long lives but few babies, Japan world's fastest graying country |
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May 31, 2000
The rapid trend toward a higher percentage of older people has long been a major concern for Japan. More people in their retirement years and fewer people paying taxes could pose significant problems for the nation's coffers, officials fear. The official statistics, released Tuesday in an annual report, indicate such fears are not unfounded.
As Oct. 1, 1999, the report said, the number of Japanese aged 65 or older totaled 21.2 million, accounting for 16.7 percent of the population.
By 2005, that percentage will hit 19.6, the highest in the world. Japan currently ranks second after Sweden, which had a 65-or-older percentage of 17.6 five years ago. In 15 years, the report said, one in four Japanese will be 65 or older.
"In the early 21st century, the aging trend in Japan will be the highest in the world, and reach a level unknown anywhere else," the report said. "The pace of aging in our country is progressing at an unprecedented speed."
To ease the imbalance, the government has begun efforts to revamp the tax system, build a more effective infrastructure to support people needing nursing care and to improve insurance coverage for the elderly.
It has also tried various programs to boost the record low birth rate. While Japanese are living longer - longevity for women, at just over 84 years, is the world's highest - Japan's birth rate has continued to fall almost steadily since 1975.
In 1998, it hit the record low 1.38, also among the world's lowest. Alarmed by such figures, the government has for the current fiscal year, which began last month, earmarked 10.57 trillion yen (dlrs 99 billion) for projects related to the aging problem.
Beginning next month, a law will take effect to more than double the number of years parents with preschool children can receive government subsidies. Currently, parents can receive a monthly government allowance of 5,000 yen (dlrs 47) for their first and second child, and 10,000 yen (dlrs 94) for every child thereafter, until the child reaches the age of 3. Under the revised law, the allowances will continue until the children reach 6.
The private sector is also getting more involved. In March, toy maker Bandai began offering a bonus of 1 million yen (dlrs 9,350) to any employee celebrating the birth of their third or more child. As many other Japanese companies do, Bandai provides a 20,000 yen (dlrs 187) gift for first and second children as well.
"Today, we hardly hear about a family having more than two children," said Bandai spokeswoman Tomomi Motosu. "As a toy maker, we've always wanted to say children are very special. And we decided to start showing that within the company."
She said the first 1 million yen bonus was given out earlier this month, but did not give the lucky employee's name. Still, efforts to encourage couples to have more children have failed to bear much fruit.
Though opportunities for women in the workplace continue to be limited compared with men, they have more freedom to hold careers and thus become economically independent than ever before. As a result, more are choosing career over marriage and parenting.
Other factors such as the cost of education and the lack of daycare centers and large homes in the cities are problems discouraging many young couples from raising large families.
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