Longevity of life a mixed blessing for Japanese

Saturday 23rd May, 07:03 AM JST

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Kristianna at 02:37 PM JST - 23rd May

Health Care has become the issue affecting the world population and the concept of old has changed. There has been a growing number of people living over one hundred and the number is probably getting larger. japan is not the only country that has a graying population, because people were encouraged to take early retirement of older workers; this was supposed to allow the companies to save money. I would love to live over one-hundred years but also with the quality of life; why do I have to chose between longevity and quality? Everyone should have a long life and quality.

Live long and prosper.
Disillusioned at 03:15 PM JST - 23rd May
“A steady increase of Japan’s longevity reflects good medical care, nutrition and successful economic development,

Oh, my dog! It's so hard to type a comment with tears of laughter blocking my view. Are they talking about the same Japan or is there another one?
- Because of the size of Japan's population packed onto one little island these statistics should be broken into regions to see which part of Japanese society is responsible for these results. I would expect the rural areas to be the winners cos living in these cities with up to 5,000 people per square kilometer will kill you quickly.
LostinNagoya at 03:57 PM JST - 23rd May

Japan in 2050 = Florida without the sun and beaches.
sharky1 at 05:09 PM JST - 23rd May

Its a good thing people are living longer, otherwise, the population in Japan would be dropping a lot faster!
jessssicaaa at 05:26 PM JST - 23rd May

Well.. this sucks.. the only solution is the couples should consider if they want to become a family ;P

But theres more to it then just having kids.. and becoming a family.. or they will just be 'a couple with kids' lol they have to really want to ;P
norinrad21 at 05:33 PM JST - 23rd May

Sharky1,

with the suicide rate ballooning up, i would say they are right on track
Himajin at 05:35 PM JST - 23rd May

Are they talking about the same Japan or is there another one?

You may laugh all you like, but I still haven't seen anyone here denied any surgery they need, or started out on the cheapest meds possible just to save an HMO money. My parent's treatment for cancer was pretty awful. If you're over or around 75 and don't have the best insurance in the US your options are limited. They certainly are not here. We considered bringing my father here for his treatment, but unfortunately one of his vertebra broke and the US hospital said that cementing it 'wasn't warranted', so the trip was out.

Here, if you're healthy enough for the treatment you get it.
Betting at 06:00 PM JST - 23rd May

"Here, if you're healthy enough for the treatment you get it".

I think you should at least watch some of the shows on Japanese tv, read some newspapers here and you'll get some real information, not just personal anecdotes.

Furthermore, have you ever read stories (which seem to be fairly common) that people get into the ambulance when they have an emergency, but never make it to hospital as that hospital won't take them?
Den Den at 07:01 PM JST - 23rd May

We can look forward to bigger houses and more fish in the sea and less traffic. Win, win!
Himajin at 09:35 PM JST - 23rd May

Meaning there isn't an arbitrary age cut-off for chemo or surgery.

I work in a clinic! Personal anecdotes my foot....

The ambulance problem is another problem entirely with many different causes. We bring that into the discussion and we could be here all weekend.

I still think that the Japanese system (besides the ambulance problem) works better and gets you current drugs faster than an HMO......you really want both my parents' treatment history with HMOs I'll put it up here, its a carnival of missteps, misdiagnoses and band-aids on gaping wounds type of thing. In a city billed as America's medical Mecca.

Moderator: All readers back on topic please.
illsayit at 11:09 PM JST - 23rd May

Cheers to Long Life! Ive seen plenty of genki old geezers. I want to try and proove that it is possible to live to 150. Perhaps then my kids will try for longer. Ive been here, too long, I forget the geezer on Star Wars, Yoda? Looking like that would be OK.
stirfry at 02:56 AM JST - 24th May

not even close to a 'mixed blessing'...it's a full-blown catastrophe
GJDailleult at 06:18 AM JST - 24th May

I'm very happy my kids have two passports - almost time to abandon ship!

Might not just be kids with two passports abandoning ship. There is the potential for a real brain drain as young and educated Japanese people bail out and emigrate, with what's left a country of old folks and pachinko players. That would make a bad situation that much worse obviously.
zurcronium at 10:26 AM JST - 24th May

The brain drain of smart women leaving japan has been going on for years.

Japanese society needs to radically change or it will collapse. Long term Japan is a sell, that is for sure. Working the way out of the prison of the Japan post WW2 success to the new aged Japan will be a bigger challenge than rebuilding after WW2. For sure the LDP has to go since they cannot move past 1970, as the NK hostage issue proves.
Yelnats at 01:51 PM JST - 28th May

Officials have stepped up programs that encourage older citizens to stay active and continue working. The government is gradually extending the retirement age to 65 from 60, and is even pushing for a further extension to 70.

This is the whole of the matter! Why a retirement age at all? I can understand retirement for police, firemen, military and airline pilots but not for anything else. Labor shortages are caused by the retirement thing, and not allowing women to enter back in the work force after having children.