Japan’s population has shrunk for the third year running, with the elderly making up a quarter of the total for the first time, government data showed on Tuesday.
The number of people in the world’s third largest economy dropped by 0.17% or 217,000 people, to 127,298,000 as of Oct 1 last year, the data said. This figure includes long-staying foreigners.
The number of people aged 65 or over rose by 1.1 million to 31.9 million, accounting for 25.1 of the population, it said.
With its low birthrate and long life expectancy, Japan is rapidly graying and already has one of the world’s highest proportions of elderly people.
The aging population is a headache for policymakers who are faced with trying to ensure an ever-dwindling pool of workers can pay for the growing number of pensioners.
The country has very little immigration. Any suggestion of opening its borders to young workers who could help plug the population gap provokes strong reactions among the public.
The proportion of people aged 65 or over is forecast to reach nearly 40% of the population in 2060, the government has warned.
© 2014 AFP
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