Japan announced an impending pension crisis as the total number of the country’s elderly hit a record high of 27 million in 2007, according to reports released Tuesday.
More than 20 percent of the country’s population is aged 65 or older, with those over 75 accounting for 10 percent.
Officials say the pace of aging has increased in Japan to a point that no other nation has experienced.
Since 2005, fertility rates have dropped in Japan as long life spans have dramatically increased its aging population. In a report issued this month, officials said the number of children in the country was at its lowest since 1908.
The shift in demographics leads officials to worry about the potential strain on government services and possible labor shortages as experts predict the nation’s elderly population will account for more than 40% by 2050.
For more World News, please go to
http://www.transworldnews.com/NewsList.aspx?cat=11&wcat=1
