Japan Faces Escalating Elderly Care Crisis as Single-Person Households Increase

By 2050, nearly half of Japan's households will consist of elderly individuals living alone, highlighting urgent needs for social and medical support systems.

• Japan's elderly population living alone is projected to rise by 47% by 2050, representing nearly half of all households.
• The demographic shift is attributed to declining birth rates and a significant drop in marriage rates, exacerbated by economic stagnation and the COVID-19 pandemic.
• In 2023, Japan's population decreased by 595,000, marking the 13th consecutive year of decline, with the largest drop in nationals since 1950.
• The proportion of elderly individuals without children or siblings is expected to increase, intensifying the challenges in providing adequate care.
• Government efforts to mitigate the aging population crisis have not yet yielded significant results, as the population continues to age and shrink.

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The Japan Times South China Morning Post