A census has shown that nearly 27% of the Japanese population is over the age of 64.
At the same time, the number of children under 15 years is at a record low of just barely 13% of the total.
The 2015 census recorded a population of 127 million.
People older than 65 now outnumber those aged under 15 in every one of Japan’s 47 prefectures, the report said.
Government data projects that the number of workers will fall by 8 million to 55.61 million by 2030. The country’s economic future depends to large degree on the number of people in employment who can contribute to the cost of elder care.
“The ratio of people aged 65 or older is the highest ever recorded,” a ministry official told the Japan Times. “This is because many baby boomers have entered this age category over the past five years.”
The birth rate has remained stubbornly low and Japan’s strict immigration laws have kept down the number of potential foreign workers. Without a large increase in immigrant numbers, the UN projects the population will decline dramatically.
As it is, more than half of the country’s workforce is aged over 64, particularly in nursing and welfare. These services are heavily in demand due to the needs of an older population.
