Geo Ageing population - JAPAN

Japans growth rate

-0.4%

Japans fertility rate

1.2

Japans infant mortality rate

1.4 per 1,000 births

Japans life expectancy

84

Japans Population structure

- %

12% under 15, 30% 65 or older, median 49-50 years,

Japans dependancy ratios

Old age - 51

Young age - 20

Total - 71

sociocultural FACTOR: Decline in relationships and sexual activity (1)

Fewer young Japanese adults are forming romantic relationships, contributing to lower rates of marriage and childbirth, with births outside marriage being very uncommon and 1 third of unmarried young adults saying they were not interested in a romantic relationship.

sociocultural FACTOR: Gender expecations

Women are traditionally responsible for childcare compared to men. The lack of accessible childcare makes it difficult for women to balance employment and parenting. This leads to couples delaying children or having less.

sociocultural FACTOR: Demanding work culture

Japan has culture of long working hours which can leave less time for dating, relationships and family life. Long hours make it hard to balance employment and childcare.

economic FACTOR: Increase cost of living and raising children

High cost of raising a family from expenses such as housing and education can discourage couples from having children. Young adults may delay marriage and childbirth until they feel financially stable

economic FACTOR: Insecure employment and fewer full time work opportunities (2)

Approx 40% of Japans workforce classified as "irregeular". Insecure employment makes it difficult for young adults to plan financially for marriage and children. Only 30% of irregular workers in their early 30s are married compared to 56% of full-time employees.

environmental FACTOR: Rural Depopulation (2)

Japan is highly urbanised with 92% of the population living in urban areas. Young people are migrating from rural areas to major cities leading to significant rural depopulation, with abandoned neighbourhoods and closure of services. This makes these rural areas less attractive to younger populations, with fewer couples forming leading to low fertility in rural communites. This creates a spatial imbalance: densely populated urban centres experience pressure on space, while rural areas experience population loss and abandonment.

political FACTOR: Restrictive immigration policies (1)

Japan traditionally has restrictive immigration policies, favouring highly skilled workers. Foreigners represent only 2.5% of Japan's population in 2023, Immigration could help offset population decline by adding younger age people to the population however is insufficient so compensate for the decline.

ISSUE: Pressure on health and aged care (2)

Japans ageing population increases demand for hospitals, nursing homes and aged-care workers, while the shrinking working-age population means fewer workers are available to provide these services. There are shortages of suitable aged care accomodations with more than 15,000 elderly people living in unauthorised nursing homes with unsafe conditions in 2015.

CHALLENGE: Pressure on health and aged care

How can we maintain sustainable services for the elderly?

ISSUE: Social isolation (1)

Smaller families and rural to urban migration are weakening family support networks, with younger people often moving to cities leaving elderly living alone with less care and social interaction. This increases loneliness, social isolations and solitary deaths among elderly. In Tokyo in 2013, 2733 people aged over 65 died alone.

CHALLENGE: Social isolation

How do we maintain essential services, housing and infrastructure in rural areas? How do we get people to stay in rural areas so elderly is not left alone?

ISSUE: Rural depopulation (1)

Rural populations to become increasingly small and elderly, creating labour shortages leading to closed schools, businesses and public transport. Additionally, homes and neighbourhoods become abandoned in Japan with 9 million vacant homes by 2023 in most rural areas. As governments must maintain roads and infrastructure for smaller populations it makes services more expensive per person, placing pressure on housing in urban areas and increasing the cost of rent due to lack of supply.

Internal migration (1)

Significant rural-to-urban migration, particularly for young adults seeking education and employment. Japans urban population increased from 53% in 1950 to 93% in 2014.

Effect of internal migration (1)

Rural areas are losing young, working age and reproductive age adults whole populations are becoming increasingly concentrated in the Tokyo-Osaka-Nagoya urban belt. Around 15,000 of Japans 65,000 communities already have more than 50% of their population aged 65+.

Migration minamiuonuma stat

In Minamiuonuma, located in the Niigata prefecture of Japan, approx 500 students graduate from high school annually. Only 100 remain immediately after graduation. Only 4o return after completing university.

Japans population pyramid

Shows an ageing population. Narrow base indicating relatively few children being born due to the low fertility rate (-0.4%). Large middle and older age cohorts, with large proportion of population aged 50+. Wider upper sections indicating high life expectancy with larger amounts of people surviving into their 70's and 80's.

What stage of DTM is Japan in and why?

Late stage 4 and early stage 5 of the DTM. This is due to the very low birth rate of 1.2 compared to the replacement rate of 2.2, the low death rate of 1.4 / 1000, the decreasing/very slow population growth rate of -0.4%,