The percentage of the world's population aged 65 or older will soar to 16.4 percent in 2050 from 6.9 percent in 2000, according to a white paper submitted and approved at Tuesday's Cabinet meeting.
The fiscal 1999 white paper on the aging of society, reported by Management and Coordination Agency chief Kunihiro Tsuzuki, also says the graying of society will rapidly accelerate in developing countries, including South Korea and China.
The paper emphasizes Japan's role as an "advanced country" because of the rapid pace at which its population is aging, and calls on Japan to extend cooperation to other countries grappling with the various problems associated with the aging of society.