Two years ago, Japan passed a milestone rare in world history except in times of war, famine or natural disaster: Its population began to shrink. And not only is it shrinking, but its average age is also rising. This trend is creating societal challenges, not least the phenomenon of elderly people passing away unknown, even unnoticed. This may not sound like a concern for power utilities, but the utility-customer relationship is uniquely suited to help.
At one point, Japan's population was triple what it was at the turn of the 20th century, but it is projected to fall by tens of millions by 2065. In the process, its elderly population will grow and its youth population, which peaked before World War II, will practically disappear.
Not only are there more people older than 65, but those people are living longer. By 2050, female life expectancy will be nearly 90 years, double what it was in 1925. For many elderly, family caregivers may be close to elderly themselves.