Elderly Population Hits New Highs, Report Says

Nearly one out of five Japanese is now 65 or older as the nation’s elderly population has hit a new record high of 23.6 million, according to a government survey.

Japan’s elderly now account for 18.5% of the country’s total population of 127.47 million, up half a percentage point from last year, the government said in an annual report, released for the Sept. 15 Respect for the Aged Day, a national holiday.

The number of elderly women stood at 13.67 million, representing 21% of all females, while that of elderly men stood at 9.95 million, or 16% of all males.