Centenarians in Japan - What are the Effects of an Aging Population in the US?
Future Wire has an interesting post on the number of Japanese that are at least 100 years old. The number is expected to reach 1 million by 2050 (I’m not sure what the assumptions to this estimate are). Three things were interesting in the post. First, a discussion of the longest living Japanese citizen (112 years old) and the major events that have happened in her lifetiime. It puts the amount of change in the last decade into perspective. Second, some good discussion on policy issues for an aging population. Third, a question (no answer) of why Japanese lifespans are longer than some other Industrialized nations. For the US, this is a key question (see this map for a color graphic of the US trailing much of Western Europe and Japan).
Implications for Extension Professionals: The US has an aging population that will require additioinal researcha and programming needs. What is happening in Japan? I’m finding very little information in a brief, cursory google search. One interesting post on Japanese rural life (not much on aging) and Extension can be found here. I have not started to look at the projections yet, but it would be a good idea to see how many centenarians the US will have over the next few decades. Key ramifications will be in pensions, public policy, building codes, and employment categories. Here are some earlier posts on aging and its impacts on Extension: