Number of Seniors in Employment Continues to Rise in Japan

Figures from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications show that Japan’s population of seniors aged 65 and over saw a slight rise of 20,000 year on year to reach a new record of 36,250,000, as of September 15, 2024. The ratio of seniors within the total population increased by 0.2 percentage point to 29.3%, which is also a record high.

The aging of Japan’s population is reflected in the makeup of its workforce. There were 9.1 million workers aged 65 or older in 2023, exceeding the previous year’s total for the twentieth consecutive year. By industry, wholesale and retail had the highest number at 1.3 million, followed by health and welfare at 1.1 million and the service industry at 1.0 million. There are 2.4 times as many senior workers in health and welfare compared with 10 years ago, with particular growth in the field of nursing care. The ratio of seniors among the total number of workers aged 15 and over was 13.5%, meaning that one out of every seven members of the workforce is 65 or older.

The employment rate among all people 65 or older remained roughly the same, at 25.2%. The employment rate for specific age groups was 52.0% for those aged 65 to 69, 34.0% for those aged 70 to 74, and 11.4% for those who are 75 or older. All of these are new records.

(Translated from Japanese. Banner photo © Pixta.)