COVERLEAD

Exploring for the Best Models of an Aging Society– Lessons from Japanese Experience
By Naoyuki Haraoka

Japan is a frontrunner in the aging of societies, a common
global challenge today, with its population greying at an
unprecedentedly high speed. The rapid increase of thepopulation aged 65 and over is also largely due to a fallingbirthrate, and thus we see the Japanese population itself
declining. The aging of society under depopulation is a sourceof concern about a possible significant decline in Japan’s
economic growth potential. The decline in economic growthover the long term would worsen the national debt, which has
already reached 200% of GDP, through a decrease in tax
revenue. This concern will be even more exacerbated with thearrival of a super-aging society in which there will be anincreasing need to care for the elderly in their 80s and 90s, oreven older, as the average life span becomes closer to 100.
Although elderly people today are able to enjoy better
health, thanks to the progress of medical science, and may
continue to work longer during their life without needing to betaken care of by the national government’s social welfare
program, when they become even older and reach late old age
they will have to be cared for by a care worker. How can wemeet this social need of a super-aging society under rigid
budgetary constraints? How can we avoid a significant decline
in economic growth potential and revitalize the economy
under the progress of depopulation?
These are the basic questions which our authors andinterviewees have responded to in this issue’s cover stories. Ibelieve that their experiences, ideas and proposals for thefuture will be of interest not only to readers in Japan but thoseoutside Japan also, who are now facing or will face soon thisinevitable challenge.
We begin with two leading articles giving an overview of theissue – one by Mamoru Maekawa, a former vice-minister forpolicy coordination at the Cabinet Office in charge offormulating Japan’s macroeconomic policy, and the other aninterview with Jitsuro Terashima, a think-tank leader who has
worked on many policy recommendations. Our editorial
2 Japan SPOTLIGHT • July / August 2019

committee member Prof. Kazumasa Oguro, an expert on
public finance, then proposes a new direction of reform ofsocial security for the interest of poor older people sufferingfrom “residential poverty”. This is followed by awell-considered and unique proposal on city planning for an
aging society by Satoru Yamazaki, a distinguished architect
and city planner.
Dr. Atsushi Seike and Dr. Takashi Oshio are both economists
working on labor economics. Our interview with Dr. Seikehighlights how enabling the elderly to work for longer in theirlife will be a key to achieving a sustainable super-aging societyin Japan, while Dr. Oshio’s article highlights the disincentive
effects of pensions on senior employment. As the working
elderly would be one of the keys to a sustainable aging
society, we have an introductory article on gerontology about
how to ensure welfare for elderly people by Dr. Pinchas
Cohen, dean of the University of Southern California Leonard
Davis School of Gerontology, a pioneering school in the field.
For the elderly who will need long-term caregiving in thelater stages of life, Japan’s long-term care insurance systemneeds to be a truly excellent one. The article by the Health andWelfare Bureau for the Elderly of the Ministry of Health,Labour and Welfare provides a succinct and easily
comprehensible introduction to the essence of the system.
We have another interview article with Yukari Amano, seniorassociate professor at the University of Shizuoka and an
expert on caregiving in Japan. This gives us a clear idea of thereality in Japanese caregiving facilities, reminding us of thefurther need to provide a good working environment for
caregivers in Japan in taking maximum advantage of ourlong-term care insurance system.
Finally, we have a non-Japanese view on the aging
population in Japan by Valerie Moschetti, a French expert inbusiness development and public affairs who has specialized
in international partnerships at the EU-Japan Centre forIndustrial Cooperation.
https://www.jef.or.jp/journal/

COVERLEAD(Brief Introductions)
COVER STORY 1Towards a Long-term Vision of Japan’s Social Security System
By Mamoru Maekawa

A long-term vision of Japan’s social security system will needto take account of increasing consumption and revitalizationof the economy through social security and the issue ofmaintaining regional communities, in addition to financial
concerns about depopulation and the aging population.
COVER STORY 2Interview with Jitsuro Terashima, Chairman of the Japan ResearchInstitute

Outlook for the Aging Society in JapanBy Japan SPOTLIGHT

To revitalize the aging society in Japan, we will needbuilding platforms for social participation andrevitalizing intelligence against the differing social
background of each generation.
COVER STORY 3
New Philosophy of Social Security & Direction of Reform –“Housing” as a Pillar of Social Security
By Kazumasa Oguro

Housing should be considered as a social security policy
to help poor older persons get out of “residential poverty”,
which could lead to mitigation of income inequality.

longer in their lives, and a pension system that could
prevent it must be corrected.
COVER STORY 6
Japan’s Social Security & Older Worker Employment – Work Stylesof Older Employees from the Perspective of Health & Pension Issues
By Takashi Oshio

A quantitative analysis shows how far we can expand
senior employment with reform of the pension systemcurrently impeding it.
COVER STORY 7
The Field of Gerontology: Views from the Past, Present & Future
By Pinchas Cohen

Gerontology, a relatively new interdisciplinary study
focused on the biological, sociological, psychologicaland policy aspects of aging, will lead to further researchon longevity and healthier aging in the future.
COVER STORY 8
Japan’s Long-Term Care Insurance System & Community-BasedIntegrated Care System
By the Health and Welfare Bureau for the Elderly, Ministry of Health, Labourand Welfare

A brief and essential introduction to Japan’s Long-TermCare Insurance System, considered to be a possible modelfor other countries facing rapidly aging populations.
COVER STORY 9Interview with Yukari Amano, Senior Associate Professor, Universityof Shizuoka, Junior College Department of Social Welfare

COVER STORY 4
The Care Compact City Concept for an Aging Society

Reality of Caregiving in Japan – a Japanese Expert’s Story

By Satoru Yamazaki

Caregiving in Japan faces the harsh reality of a shortageof skilled care workers and raising caregivers is not easy.

Establishing a “Community-Based Integrated Care System”
would lead to lower financial costs for social security as
well as higher quality of caregiving for elderly people.
COVER STORY 5Interview with Dr. Atsushi Seike, President of the Promotion andMutual Aid Corporation for Private Schools of Japan (PMAC)

Elderly Workers – Key to Achieving a Sustainable Super-Aging
Society in JapanBy Japan SPOTLIGHT

A sustainable super-aging society in Japan can beachieved by encouraging the elderly to continue to work

By Japan SPOTLIGHT

COVER STORY 10
Japan: Immigration, a Remedy for the Aging Population?
By Valerie Moschetti

In the 21st century, more foreigners settling in Japan
will certainly have an impact on society. Better
inclusiveness of foreigners into Japanese society will bea new challenge for the Japanese.
Naoyuki Haraoka is editor-in-chief of Japan SPOTLIGHT & executive
managing director of the Japan Economic Foundation (JEF).
Japan SPOTLIGHT • July / August 20193