Here's an idea: we all retire at 40.
Not "retire" exactly, in the current sense of the word. Let's say at 40, we withdraw temporarily from the salaried grind and — fantastic thought! — go back to school, upgrade or deepen our knowledge and skills, then hit the job market again. You could do the same thing again at 60; maybe even at 75 or 80. Why not? Life is longer than ever, and infirmity is no longer an inevitable concomitant of advanced years.
This is not starry-eyed futurism. It's the gist of a report issued last month by a government panel. The report is titled "A Japan With Hope and Pride."