Summarize age from a global perspective using Japan as a case study

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Physical and sociocultural environments have different effects on how people experience aging and old age. People in hunting and gathering societies typically have shorter life expectancies than people in high-income nations such as the United States. Younger people are a valuable asset in the nomadic lifestyle involved in hunting wild game. Although more people reach older ages in horticultural, pastoral, and agrarian societies, life is still very hard for most people. Since it is possible to accumulate a surplus, older individuals (particularly men) are often the most privileged in a society because they have the most wealth, power, and prestige. In these societies, the proportion of older people living with other family members is extremely high, with few elderly living alone. In recent years, a growing number of people are reaching age 60 and above in some middle- and lower-income nations. In industrial societies, living standards improve and advances in medicine contribute to greater longevity for more people.

The largest employers are in the fields of education and health care, both of which benefit older people. Some more affluent older people may move away from family and friends upon retirement in pursuit of recreational facilities or a better climate. Others may relocate to be closer to children or other relatives.

People age 65 and over make up about 23.1 percent of the total population, and that percentage is expected to increase. It is widely assumed that older people are respected and revered in Japan; however, several recent studies suggest that sociocultural changes and population shifts may be bringing about a gradual change in the social importance of the elderly in that nation. This is leading to declining overall populations and a declining workforce, the country faces real policy issues some of which were exacerbated by the 2011 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear peril.