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Realizing the potential of an aging society1
Japanese society stood on the cusp of change. Starting from the year of 2007, large numbers of the postwar baby-boom generation reached retirement age-the so-called 2007 problem. The country's over-65 population already stands at 25.6 million, more than 20 percent of the total, and this percentage will continue to expand. The aging of society is not, of course, something affecting only Japan.
According to the United Nations, the global population of people over 60-today estimated at 600 million-will approach 2 billion by the year 2050.
But the heart of this issue is not in the numbers. The problems of aging present an opportunity to rethink our social and personal lives in order to ensure the dignity and welfare of each individuals.
All people have a natural desire to be needed, to have their importance to others tangibly confirmed. Our challenge is to build a society in which people feel truly valued and fulfilled throughout the course of their lives.
The wisdom and experience of older people is a resource of inestimable worth. Recognizing and treasuring the contributions of older people is essential to the long term flourishing of any society. As a country undergoing this demographic shift with exceptional speed, Japan has the opportunity to show a positive example of creatively responding to this challenge.
In a recent survey of members of the baby-boom gerneration, two-third of respondents expressed anxiety about the future. In addition to economic issues such as the adequacy of pensions and the cost of living, they voiced concern about their own health, their ability to care for parents, etc. Indeed, many caregivers face truly heartrending daily struggles. There is a clear and weighty responsibility to respond to these voices with sensitive and effective public-policy measures.
The same survey, however, also points to positive attitudes. Although only 15 percent of the members of the baby-boom generation are now engaged in volunteer activities, six in ten said they hoped to do so in the future. And almost eight in ten looked forward to developing deeper relations with their neighbors and community.
I believe that such attitudes-the desire to work for the benefit of others and to strengthen the bonds of community-can ensure the vitality of an aging society. Individuals who feel needed and strive on behalf of others can keep their youth and energy. They can transform a community, making it a warm and welcoming place to live.
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ÃÖ±Ù º£À̺ñ ºÕ ¼¼´ë¸¦ ´ë»óÀ¸·Î ¼³¹®Á¶»ç¸¦ ÇÑ °á°ú, ´äº¯ÀÚÀÇ 66%°¡ ¹Ì·¡¿¡ ´ëÇÑ ºÒ¾ÈÇÔÀ» Åä·ÎÇß´Ù. ±×µéÀº ¿¬±ÝÀ̳ª »ýȰºñ µî°ú °°Àº °æÁ¦Àû ¹®Á¦¸¦ Æ÷ÇÔÇØ, ÀڽŵéÀÇ °Ç°°ú ºÎ¸ð ºÎ¾ç ¹®Á¦ µîÀ» ºÒ¾È ¿ä¼Ò·Î µé°í ÀÖ´Ù. ½ÇÁ¦·Î »ó»óÀ» ÃÊ¿ùÇÏ´Â ³ë°í¸¦ ÇØ¾ß ÇÏ´Â °£º´ÀεéÀÇ ¸ñ¼Ò¸®´Â ÂüÀ¸·Î Àý½ÇÇÏ´Ù. ÀÌ·¯ÇÑ ¼Ò¸®¿¡ ¾ó¸¶¸¸Å ¼¼½ÉÇÏ°í ¼º½ÇÇÑ Á¤Ã¥Àû ´ëÀÀÀ» Çߴ°¡. Á¤Ä¡ÀÇ Ã¥ÀÓÀº Á¤¸»·Î Å©´Ù.
ÇÑÆí, ÀϺ»ÀÇ ¾Õ³¯¿¡ ¹àÀº ¡Á¶¸¦ ´À³¥ ¼ö ÀÖ´Â Á¶»ç °á°úµµ ³ª¿À°í ÀÖ´Ù. ÇöÀç º£À̺ñ ºÕ ¼¼´ë Áß¿¡¼ ÀÚ¿øºÀ»ç Ȱµ¿¿¡ Âü°¡ÇÏ´Â »ç¶÷Àº 15%°¡ ¾È µÈ´Ù. ÇÏÁö¸¸ Âü°¡ÇÏ°í ½Í´Ù´Â »ç¶÷ÀÌ 60%¿¡ ´ÞÇÑ´Ù. ±×¸®°í 80%¿¡ °¡±î¿î »ç¶÷µéÀÌ ÀڽŵéÀÇ ÀÌ¿ô ¹× Áö¿ª»çȸ¿Í ±íÀº °ü°è¸¦ ¸¸µé¾î °¡±â¸¦ ¿øÇß´Ù.
³ª´Â ¸¹Àº »ç¶÷ÀÌ ¡®³²À» À§ÇØ »ì¾Æ°¡´Â ÀÚ¼¼¡¯¿Í ¡®Áö¿ª»çȸ¿¡¼ Àΰ£°ü°è¡¯¸¦ ±í°Ô ¸Î¾î°¡´Â »îÀ» »ý±â¹ß¶öÇÏ°Ô Áö¼ÓÇÏ´Â °ÍÀÌ ³ë·ÉÈ»çȸ¿¡ Ȱ±â¸¦ ºÒ¾î³Ö´Â Áß¿äÇÑ ¿¼è°¡ µÈ´Ù°í »ý°¢ÇÑ´Ù. ¡®³ª¸¦ ÇÊ¿ä·Î ÇÏ´Â »ç¶÷À» À§ÇØ ºÀ»çÇÑ´Ù¡¯´Â ¸¶À½ÀÌ ÀÖÀ¸¸é ³ª ÀÚ½ÅÀÌ Àþ¾îÁö°í °Ç°ÇØÁú ¼ö Àֱ⠶§¹®ÀÌ´Ù. ±×¸®°í ÁÖÀ§ »ç¶÷µéÀÇ ¸¶À½À» µû¶æÇÏ°Ô ÇÏ¿© Áö¿ªÀ» ¹à°Ô ºñÃß¾î °¡±â ¶§¹®ÀÌ´Ù.
Realizing the potential of an aging society1
Japanese society stood on the cusp of change. Starting from the year of 2007, large numbers of the postwar baby-boom generation reached retirement age-the so-called 2007 problem. The country's over-65 population already stands at 25.6 million, more than 20 percent of the total, and this percentage will continue to expand. The aging of society is not, of course, something affecting only Japan.
According to the United Nations, the global population of people over 60-today estimated at 600 million-will approach 2 billion by the year 2050.
But the heart of this issue is not in the numbers. The problems of aging present an opportunity to rethink our social and personal lives in order to ensure the dignity and welfare of each individuals.
All people have a natural desire to be needed, to have their importance to others tangibly confirmed. Our challenge is to build a society in which people feel truly valued and fulfilled throughout the course of their lives.
The wisdom and experience of older people is a resource of inestimable worth. Recognizing and treasuring the contributions of older people is essential to the long term flourishing of any society. As a country undergoing this demographic shift with exceptional speed, Japan has the opportunity to show a positive example of creatively responding to this challenge.
In a recent survey of members of the baby-boom gerneration, two-third of respondents expressed anxiety about the future. In addition to economic issues such as the adequacy of pensions and the cost of living, they voiced concern about their own health, their ability to care for parents, etc. Indeed, many caregivers face truly heartrending daily struggles. There is a clear and weighty responsibility to respond to these voices with sensitive and effective public-policy measures.
The same survey, however, also points to positive attitudes. Although only 15 percent of the members of the baby-boom generation are now engaged in volunteer activities, six in ten said they hoped to do so in the future. And almost eight in ten looked forward to developing deeper relations with their neighbors and community.
I believe that such attitudes-the desire to work for the benefit of others and to strengthen the bonds of community-can ensure the vitality of an aging society. Individuals who feel needed and strive on behalf of others can keep their youth and energy. They can transform a community, making it a warm and welcoming place to live.
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