But the percentage in Japan has been falling and will fall farther. But with affluence, government pensions and public health-care insurance, these living arrangements have been diminishing. People in all societies value a greater degree of independence when they can afford it. Often people find they can love their parents more, and even take care of them better, if they are not in constant contact in the same dwelling. However, the alternatives to living with one's children remain rather limited.
Japan does have a large and growing nursing-care industry.
And there has been rapid growth in day-care centers for elderly people living with children who cannot care for them throughout the day. The view of both the government and the private sector has been far too narrow in approaching the broader issue of lifestyle for older people. There was at least one apartment complex designed for senior citizens, but it was inconveniently located and not well designed. Regulation may be part of the answer. Even in the current era of deregulation, government can find many ways to obstruct the private sector, and this ministry impresses me as particularly control-oriented.