NEWSWORTHY
In long-lived Japan, survey finds 20-year-olds don't want to live into their 80s
A survey has found that young Japanese in their 20s don't want to live into their 80s — a startling revelation in a country where the life expectancies for both men and women routinely rank among the world's highest. Men and women between 20 and ...
Business, society and government remain largely closed to change.
Elderly women to bear the brunt of Japan's spending cuts
As Japanese society ages and the government cuts social welfare spending, older women are bracing for the impact. "The only people who can enjoy living until 100 are those who have enough money and family," said Setsuko Betsui, a 78-year-old woman living in Saitama, who ...
Japan beefs up child welfare measures after 'soul-crushing' abuse death
The central government is taking emergency steps to boost the number of child welfare workers by 60 percent within five years, spurred by the death of a child whose handwritten notes seeking forgiveness from her abusive parents have shaken Japan. The death in March of ...
Discussions must start now on making sure the social welfare system can meet Japan's future needs.
As the nation grays, the cost of covering pensions and health care will rise from ¥121.3 trillion this year to around ¥190 trillion in fiscal 2040, the government says.
If the government wants elderly people to remain in the workforce longer, it must remove obstacles that stand in their way.
While tightening regulations on operators of housing facilities for poor senior citizens, the government also should consider what financial support it can provide to ensure the safety of residents.
Abe's 'social security for all' a daunting task in quickly graying Japan
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe looks to remodel the existing social security system in favor of younger generations who bear responsibility for the country’s future economic growth.
Health ministry looks to help Japan's welfare recipients ward off lifestyle diseases
The health ministry plans to launch a system to encourage welfare recipients suspected of suffering lifestyle diseases such as diabetes to receive early-stage treatment, according to sources. An advance project to assess the system's effectiveness will be conducted in the next fiscal year, the sources ...
My Number system begins sharing data between government bodies
Documents submitted to municipalities can amount to a lot of paperwork, whether it is an application for benefits, a scholarship or for public day care centers. But starting Monday, there may be less paperwork for those who use the My Number identification system as residents' ...
Japan must adhere to cap on social spending, new labor minister says
Japan needs to hold fast in limiting the rise of social welfare spending, said Minister of Health, Labor and Welfare Katsunobu Kato in a recent interview. To meet a spending limit set in fiscal 2015, Kato said he wants to adhere to a ¥500 billion ...
