TOKYO, Sept. 14 (Xinhuanet) — The number of Japanese aged 65 or above has reached a record 24.31 million, accounting for 19 percent of the population, said the government on Sunday.
The figure is 0.5 percentage point higher from a year earlier and the highest among industrialized nations, said the Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications Ministry ina report released on Japan’s Day of Respecting the Aged.
The number of men aged 65 or above is estimated at 10.26 million, surpassing 10 million for the first time and accounting for 16.5 percent of the male population, while the aged women stand at 14.05 million, or 21.5 percent of all females, according to the ministry.
An aging society is a serious problem Japan is confronted with. Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi is advocating to cut governmental share in pension to make it sustainable. Enditem
