Bioethics and Socio-Legal Aspects of the Elderly in Japan
-With Special Reference to Life-Sustaining Technologies-

Charts & Tables

Chart I.
Trend of the Ratio of the Aged (65 years and over) to the Total Population
Chart I: Trend of the Ratio of the Aged (65 years and over) to the Total Population
Source: For Japan, from Statistics Bureau, Prime Minister's Office and Population Problems Research Institute of Ministry of Health and Welfare
For other countries, from UN

__In 1950, the number of those aged 65 and over was 4,155,000 only 4.9% of the total population. That is, during the 31 years since 1950, the number of those of 65 and over had increased 2.6 times, and the ratio of the aged to the total population had increased rapidly. This tendency is expected to continue, and it is estimated that at the beginning of the 21st century, the total number of those aged 65 and over will exceed 20,000,000, and account for more than 15% of the total population.

Chart II.
Living Pattern of Persons 65 Years and Over
Chart II: Living Pattern of Persons 65 Years and Over
Source: Statistics Bureau, Prime Minister's Office
Note: Both actual number and proportion are those of ordinary households, not including quasi-households.

Chart III.
Estimated number of hospital patients and in-patients by age and sex per day in 1980
Chart III: Estimated number of hospital patients and in-patients by age and sex per day in 1980
Source: Ogawa, N., Population in Japan: Aging of the Population, NPRI Reprint Series, No. 13, Population Research Institute, Nihon Univ., Tokyo (1984), p. 16.

Chart IV.
Estimated number of hospital patients and in-patients by age and sex per day in 2025
Chart IV: Estimated number of hospital patients and in-patients by age and sex per day in 2025
Source: Ogawa, N., Population in Japan: Aging of the Population, NPRI Reprint Series, No. 13, Population Research Institute, Nihon Univ., Tokyo (1984), p. 17.


a perforated line

Table 1.
Population-future population projected-percentage distribution by three broad age groups and sex, 1920-2075
Both sexes
_______
_______
Population in 1000
_All ages_0-14
_years old_		__15-64___65 years
_and over_
Population in 1000
_All ages_0-14
_years old_		__15-64__65 years
_and over_
1920_55 96320 41632 6052 941100.036.558.35.3
192559 73721 92434 7923 021100.036.758.25.1
193064 45023 57937 8073 064100.036.658.74.8
193569 25425 54540 4843 225100.036.958.54.7
194071 93326 38342 0963 454100.036.758.54.8
194778 10127 57346 7833 745100.035.359.94.8
195083 20029 42849 6584 109100.035.459.74.9
195589 27629 79854 7294 747100.033.461.35.3
196093 41928 06760 0025 350100.030.064.25.7
196598 27525 16666 9286 181100.025.668.16.3
1970103 72024 82371 5667 331100.023.969.07.1
1975111 94027 22175 8078 865100.024.367.77.9
1980117 06027 50778 83510 647100.023.567.39.1
____Future population projected
1985120 30125 73782 36612 198100.021.468.510.1
1990122 83422 51286 03214 290100.018.370.011.6
1995125 38321 40586 89717 082100.017.169.313.6
2000128 11922 56185 61519 943100.017.666.815.6
2005130 00823 94183 83922 228100.018.464.517.1
2010130 27623 85881 94024 478100.018.362.918.8
2015129 33222 42779 59327 311100.017.361.521.1
2020128 11521 41978 74727 950100.016.761.521.8
2025127 18421 92978 17627 079100.017.261.521.3
2050120 79021 90973 37525 506100.018.160.821.1
2075118 39522 14173 00023 253100.018.761.719.6
Note; * Population census 1920-1980
_____* Excluding Okinawa-ken for 1947-1970
Sources: "Population estimates of Japan"
______"1970 Population census of Japan"
______"1975 Population census of Japan"
______"1980 Population census of Japan"
______Statistics Bureau, Prime Minister's Office.
______Institute of Population Problems, MHW
______"Future population projected for Japan by sex and age for 1980-2080 Prepared in November 1981" right arrow Medium projections of future population as of October 1 of the year stated prepared as of November 1981


Table 2.
Future changes in selected social security-related indicators, 1980-2025
YearSocial security
benefit

(billion yen)		Social security
benefit

National income
(per cent)		Tax revenue

National income
(per cent)		Social security
contribution

National income
(per cent)		Social security
contribution
+ Tax revenue

National income
(per cent)
198023 84212.4621.899.4531.35
198540 28814.0923.0210.8933.92
199068 81416.3123.7912.6436.44
1995121 27320.0024.0015.4839.49
2000214 03824.7323.5618.8842.45
2005373 27330.2323.9222.2046.12
2010660 47036.3123.4228.1751.60
20151 122 70343.2123.1934.6257.81
20201 558 37546.9923.3138.2161.53
20251 970 06648.7023.3639.9463.30
Source: Ogawa, N., Population in Japan: Ageing of the Population, NPRI Reprint Series, No. 13, Population Research Institute, Nihon Univ., Tokyo (1984), p. 15.


Table 3.
Changes in medical services required per day, 1980-2025
YearNumber of
hospitals		Number of
hospital beds		Number of
clinics		Number of
clinic beds		Number of
dentists
19808 5991 260 64874 112279 89735 674
19859 2971 385 86878 469307 33236 738
199010 0581 520 50883 280339 63537 524
199510 9191 667 58989 544376 42638 302
200011 7251 809 36596 159414 11938 928
200512 3501 929 240101 366447 05439 266
201012 7162 011 731104 055468 82238 903
201512 9562 072 469105 505487 39837 953
202013 1322 118 254106 704508 03137 049
202513 0612 120 696106 399513 91236 265
Source: Ogawa, N., Population in Japan: Ageing of the Population, NPRI Reprint Series, No. 13, Population Research Institute, Nihon Univ., Tokyo (1984), p. 15.


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Bioethics and Socio-Legal Aspects of the Elderly in Japan
-With Special Reference to Life-Sustaining Technologies-