Japan proposes to reconsider the age of elderly people
As Novye Izvestia writes, the average life expectancy in Japan is constantly increasing, while young Japanese are increasingly less likely to start families, leading to an aging population. According to forecasts, by 2040 people over 65 will account for more than 36% of Japan's residents.
The chairman of the working group of the Japanese Gerontological Society, Dr. Yasuyoshi Ouchi, believes that changing the very definition of "elderly person" will give people over 65 who feel strong the opportunity to continue working or engage in community service.
Experts note that the Japanese trend of national aging is also repeating in Russia. The UN claims that in almost 40 years Russia will catch up with and surpass Japan, though only in one indicator – the number of elderly people. By 2050, people over 60 will make up 31% of the population – more than there currently is in the Land of the Rising Sun.
However, unlike Japan and Western countries, where age discrimination (for example, in hiring) is a crime, in Russia employers' advertisements that refuse even to consider resumes of people over 45 are not uncommon. It is also true that the health of Russia's male population is much worse than that of the Japanese or even Greeks, and most men barely survive past 60.
The Japanese view on the age of old age is partially confirmed by observations of British scientists who studied how long childhood lasts in humans. It turned out that the period of male maturation begins after they turn 40. Until then, most of them are irresponsible and not ready to take responsibility for their own lives and those around them.
To determine the age of male maturation, researchers analyzed the audience of a children's TV channel. It turned out that most men under 40 show interest in computer games and cartoons. Women, in turn, begin to mature after 30.
Gerontology is the science that studies the biological, social and psychological aspects of human aging, its causes and ways to combat it (rejuvenation).