Trendspotting: In Japan, 75 is the New 65

NewsWire: 9/29/21

• Japan, the world’s oldest nation, now wants to call those aged 65 to 74 “pre-old.” Most of this age group doesn’t fit the traditional image of the elderly: Only 6%, for instance, require care by others. (The Wall Street Journal)
• NH: In 2020, 28.4% of Japan’s population was age 65 and older. This is the largest share of older residents in the world. That’s why, in part, the Japan Gerontological Society and the Japan Geriatrics Society are both recommending that 65- to 74-year-olds should no longer be referred to as “elderly.” Instead, this age range should be referred to as “pre-old age.”
• Some are wary that this new designation is simply an excuse to cut pensions or benefits. But so far, it hasn’t changed anything except for some population estimates. For example, after adopting the “pre-old” age cutoff, the elderly share of the population in the city of Nagano fell from 30% to 16%.
• These organizations say that this term more accurately describes how people in this age group see themselves. According to Japan’s annual White Paper on the Elderly, nearly half of those 65 to 69 are employed, along with a third of those in their early 70s. When those 60 and older were asked about their financial future, more than a third (34%) said they have “no anxieties” about supporting themselves--which increased moving up the age ladder. And the vast majority (about 80%) say they have a purpose in life, which is probably linked to the fact that such a high share remain in the workforce.
• Most in the "pre-old" bracket remain independent and healthy. Just 6% of 65- to 74-year-olds require care by others. According to Hiromi Rakugi, a gerontologist at Osaka University, data on walking speed suggest those in their 60s and 70s are, on average, equally healthy as those who were a decade younger a generation or two ago. Previous studies have shown that at any given age, life expectancy increases with gait speed. 

• Will other nations follow suit? The country with the next-highest share of the 65+ is Italy (around 23%). Since 2000, Italy's life expectancy at age 60 has increased at a slightly faster rate than Japan's, with an average of 1.25 years added per decade vs. Japan's 1.1. But as is the case in much of western Europe, only a small share of Italy's 65+ population (below 10%) works.
• A closer analogue to Japan is America, where only 17% of the population is 65+. The share of older Americans who remain in the workforce has risen steadily in recent years: 31% of those 65 to 69 are employed. And as we know, American Boomers are also loathe to think of themselves as old and balk at the term "senior." (See "Senior Groups Struggle to Win Over Boomers.") Maybe instead of "pre-old," their term of choice will be "forever young." Clearly that makes no sense, but "pre-old" might work as a temporary compromise.