Number of Aged Japanese Hit Record High of 23.6m
International organizations have warned that the richest nations would be worst hit by the trend of an aging society, which would cause labor shortages and send health care and pension costs soaring.
The number of people aged 65 or older rose by 780,000 from a year earlier, accounting for 18.5 percent of Japan's population, the English-language daily, citing a government survey said, as the nation celebrates "Respect for the Aged Day".
This is higher than that in Italy, which stands at 18.2 percent, 16.2 percent in Germany, and 15.9 percent in France.
Latest data by the Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications Ministry estimates that Japan's population stood at 127.32 million as of August.
A **** White Paper on Aging ****, compiled by the cabinet in June showed that the number of elderly people would account for 26 percent of the population by 2015 and 30 percent by 2030.
But the **** White Paper **** also showed that Japan's aged were in good shape physically and socially active.
Meanwhile a Japanese woman said to be the world's oldest person turned 115 on Monday.
But Kamato Hongo, who lives in the southwestern city of Kagoshima, failed to stay awake for her big day.
"She has been in a deep sleep since 2 A.M. this morning, maybe because she got excited after seeing many visitors yesterday, on "Respect for the Aged Day," the Kyodo news agency quoted daughter Shizue Kurauchi, 78, as saying.
Hongo, born in 1887, now sticks to a unique cycle of staying awake for two straight days and then sleeping for two days.
Although she can no longer walk without help, Hongo enjoys singing and "dancing" with her hands, Kyodo said.
Japan is also home to the world's oldest male, Yukichi Chuganji, a 113-year-old native of Fukuoka prefecture.
Both Fukuoka and Kagoshima are located on Kyushu, Japan's southernmost main island.