Japan’s population aged 65 and older has risen to a record 29.4 percent, the highest share among countries with more than 40 million people, government data has shown.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications said on Sunday that the number of seniors stood at 36.19 million. Of these, 9.3 million were still working, marking the 21st consecutive annual increase. The figure means one in seven workers in Japan is now elderly.
The ministry said the senior population included 15.68 million men and 20.51 million women.
A revision to the industrial safety and health law in May requires companies to improve working conditions for older employees, as the risk of workplace accidents rises with age.
AloJapan.com