A research company estimates that the number of people aged 65 and over in Japan without close relatives is expected to increase approximately 1.5 times by 2050, accounting for more than 10% of the elderly population.
According to the Japan Research Institute, there are a total of 4.48 million people who are unrelated to the third degree, including great-grandchildren, great-nieces, and nephews, raising concerns about who will be the guarantor for hospitals and nursing care facilities, and who will pick up the bodies. are.
Estimates based on data from the National Institute of Population and Social Security Research show that marriages are decreasing in this country, where the population is aging, and the number of people aged 65 and over without relatives within the third degree will increase from 2.86 million in 2024. It is expected that this will happen. .
File photo: Elderly people stretching in Funabashi City, Chiba Prefecture, March 2018 (Kyodo News)
By 2050, the elderly population, or approximately 11.5% of the total population aged 65 and over, is expected to account for 39 million people.
Japan’s Civil Code imposes an obligation on relatives within the third degree of kinship to support elderly family members.
The presence of a guarantor is very important, as many nursing and medical facilities require a guarantor to receive services. The number of elderly people who do not have close relatives and are certified as requiring long-term care or support under public long-term care insurance is estimated to increase from 340,000 to 590,000 by 2050.
With more people without relatives turning to private care services, the government has taken steps such as creating guidelines for businesses to avoid potential problems.
The estimates also show that the number of childless people aged 65 and over will increase from 4.59 million in 2024 to 10.32 million in 2050. The number of unmarried people within that group is expected to increase from 3.71 million to 8.34 million in 2020. Same period.
Elderly people may have strained relationships and are unable to rely on relatives. According to statistics from the Japan Research Institute, the number of people aged 65 and over who cannot expect financial support from relatives in an emergency is likely to increase from 7.9 million in 2024 to 8.9 million in 2050.
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Japan’s population aged 65 and over has reached a record high of 36.25 million, with one in four working.
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