Japan to aim at 'ageless society' with more healthy seniors working

the current social security system must be reformed,

Yeah, the whole article seems all rosy and encouraging. However, the main reason they want people to keep working is because the pension system has totally failed and they can't afford to pay pensions.

Working is a life time commitment literaly to death. I remember when retirement was an option. Taxed on what you earn taxed on what you buy taxed when you die but still not enough for the government. Be nice to go back 30 years a see just how it was possible to retire.

I wonder how long they can kick the can down the road before realizing the inevitable.

Japan to aim at 'ageless society' with more healthy seniors working

So that's how they are going spin it huh?

70 years of fiscal irresponsibility, this move is a face saving way of admition that the worlds 3rd largest economy needs to gouge its tax payers more, until death. Not one word about reducing the government spending. Reducing politicians in line with a shrinking population. Accountability that's a hair raising idea. Some countries are talking of a universal wage, Japan's best idea is everyone work all your lives to pay for a mismanaged system that benifits theses born into opulence.

“The general trend of seeing those over 65 as elderly is losing credibility” according to the government.

LOL! When’s the last time the government was rich on credibility? What kind of average salaryman can keep going after 65? The real issue here is that the government wants to start slowly making cuts to your pension.

No doubt that in ten years, getting it automatically from when you are 60 won’t be an option.

And the local city office wants me to pay into the pension program! Yeah, no thanks. I might as well just burn my money.

In principle the idea is not without some merits. However, in Japan this labor force over 60 could be better utilized to mentor those who are starting out. Their hours might be reduced as they do so. Asking people to keep on working the kind of overtime that's typical in Japan is likely to help the aging population problem by killing more of them off.

If they don't actually die but suffer age and overwork-related diseases instead, the savings to the pension system is merely going to be eaten up by the medical system.

It might be better to receive a somewhat reduced salary (in keeping with a pension) work reduced hours and continue to make a meaningful contribution. However, that would mean change. Oops! Shoganai.

people should be allowed to delay the age to start receiving public pensions to over 70

In other words, don’t ask for the money you have saved through the government pension plan because, well, we don’t have it. Or, we have it but need it for other military purposes. Hopefully, you won’t ak for it until you’re dead. Then we won’t have to give it to you at all. Thanks for the case, now buzz off.

Mandatory retirement age should be set the same for government members as for employees.

Right now companies are allowed to enforce 60 as the retirement age, even though people can't collect pension until 65.

The lawmakers who created this situation are mostly in their 70s and collecting big salaries and doing little to fix anything. They should be forced to resign at 60 and then run for re-election but only get 1/2 pay if they are successful.

Most people work in soul-crushing, stressful jobs and dream of getting out at 65...

The pension system will never go bankrupt (Proof: Look at America)

If you want to keep people happy at age 60 and looking forward to another 10 years or so of working, do not significantly drop their salaries and put them on that special 1 year crappola contract they have.

When a person reaches the age of 60, make it a strict law that they cannot wrk overtime at all.

Age 65 is not old if you are in fairly decent shape.

I like to see the Government actually do what they talk about. They seem so out of touch with reality.

This is just institutionalized and mandatory karoshi.....reminds me a bit of the movie "Logan's Run", Each year a few lucky senior's will win the chance to take a vacation in "paradise" for eternity.

The most convenient thing for the government is for you to drop dead at work.

This is going to be the most popular group to exploit as those grandfathered under the current healthcare system of only paying 10% get older and depend more on social services. The people still working -- likely doing the same or similar jobs as "pre-retirement" for half the pay, and still paying full taxes -- will not be able to get a full pension, if any, until they are closer to death, and can be abused by "black companies" even worse than young people. Won't be long before this "voluntary idea" becomes mandatory, and by law you will not qualify as a senior (and therefore pensions and discounts) until 70.

Working is a life time commitment literaly to death.

Yep. Didn't see this one coming (not). Of course, human life is just a resource to be exploited here.

Japan should aim at becoming an "ageless society" where people aged 65 or older will not be automatically regarded as seniors but will be encouraged to stay healthy and work...

As if it's just an 'option' to stay healthy...

Seriously, what is next? Kids 4 years old and up should put in a few hours in the local factory each night after school etc? This is a seriously heartless government and apathetic generation we have running Japan now.

This (the state stealing yet more of peoples' lives away) is more than worthy of public outrage. I'm sure we will see a few old-timers, wearing matching spray jackets in solidarity, quietly holding up a few signs on a street corner somewhere...

When this takes effect, you can be certain that suicide rates will rise even more than their current high levels. No hope, no future.

It's easy to see where this is going. First, they will allow people to defer receiving their pension until they are 75 or 80. The longer you wait, the more you get, just like now. Next, they will reduce the pension so that anyone who wants to retire before 70 will need to have saved up an enormous sum themselves.

Result: the government will claim the "official" retirement age is still 65, but you will have to work until at least 70 in order to receive enough pension to live on.

Now, 4.6 million over the age of 65 have dementia. Do they expect these taxpayers to drive taxis, work in combinis or sail inter island ferries? By 2025, this will be 7.6 million.

abe has been running around the world giving aid, and buying $2 billion American aegis onshore, capable of firing tomahawk missiles, which he is also buying. We also pay for USA occupation. This money could go to pensions, day care, health system.

With the drastic reduction in workers = tax payers. The overlords are panicking as their income is at risk, already a national debt out of control, due to their financial plundering. They would rather see the population in card board boxes then loose a yen. But as its a taboo subject I can only wish these old men a continued tax payer financed life for how ever long they have left. You can live a good life or join the LDP. Large Diaper Pants party.

Sorry. Wanted to say 'elderly' suicide rates.

so why not let them do it?

Fair enough unless you are forced to do it after paying all your life and feel tired and have a bad back.

government breaching their contract to pay you the retirement they promised when you entered the work force cause they used your retirement money to pay their salaries and benefits.

More hot air. Anything than discuss the word that must never be uttered.

Quite a number of small businesses are run and worked in by people in their 60s, 70s, and 80s. It keeps them physically active, mentally agile, socially involved, and provides them with an income. Not everyone wants to retire at 60 or 65, some enjoy working and being around other people, so why not let them do it?

The lawmakers who created this situation are mostly in their 70s and collecting big salaries and doing little to fix anything. They should be forced to resign at 60 and then run for re-election but only get 1/2 pay if they are successful.

I agree, but to put them on a level playing-field with us plebs, pay should be cut to around ⅓, not ½.

Pensions are easy to live on as long as you do not have a mortgage.

Pensions are easy to live on as long as you don't need electricity, food NHK tax, local tax, government tax, cardboard boxes are tax free at the moment, at the moment but just wait a big box along a river under a bridge "luxuries"

Edit: Japan will bleed workers dry until they drop dead.

There. Fixed it.

Whoops...

5) 65 and over should receive the pension in full as they paid for it.

Anything but letting more "outsiders" eh.

They could begin some immigration, targeted with higher requirements of education, savings, commitments to assimilate into Japan, and so on but are going for the lets wait 30 years until its so desperate we are paying people, anyone, to come here option...

On the retirement thing overall, this is going to be a world wide problem, just Japan is going to be one of the larger economies to deal with it first. I have been reluctantly been paying pension knowing full well its unlikely anyone sub 40 just about anywhere in the world without significant personal savings or assets will ever have the option to retire, rather it will be work until you no longer can.

Seems like a desperate measure from another time...

Young people don't want to work overtime as their parents did, I doubt they want to work until 70 !

People retiring is not better for the economy. It's not good for health. It's not good for young people starting working (and/or who would like to start a family).

now they target pensions next will be healthcare. both will be privatised.

If they want to reduce pension payouts without it being a failed ponzi scheme (guess how many politicians will get arrested?), they should:

1) set a date where the govt will no longer charge the social security tax.

2) anyone who has paid into the system for under age 65 will have option of getting their money (paid ss tax) returned with interest, or the traditional pension starting at that date (adjusted to how many years paid in).

3) anyone who has not paid in never will.

4) encourage extended family (need not be related) philosophy of taking care of each other. Parent works for child, child grows up and works helping the parent, child has own children as parent becomes grandparent, grandparent retires in dignity and helps with the grandchildren freeing up daycare. New (or rather old rebirthed) cycle of sustainable retirement where one is not alone.

now they target pensions next will be healthcare. both will be privatised.

Japan is running massive public spending deficits, so that would appear to be a reasonable outcome with respect to the latter.

I am not sure what a privatized pension system looks like but if it involves people saving for their own retirement, that would be an improvement on Japan’s current unsustainable system, which is failing to assure people about their future.

No way sirs. after all we need to run the countries. see my inka civilization research says some 15000 yrs ago in south america -peru- there was a civilization which ran the world's largest empire without currency and yet all people lived happily with adequate food, clothing, roofs why we can't today ; that shows our system of economy is obvious failures; see till 18th century most European countries ran economy without currencies too - Keynesian economies of world war II on put dependence on some currency system run by some paper currency- FDR rightly said Maynard Keynes it is nonsense to have paper currency, who is wrong , reason is we are all caught in self deception syndrome - i wrote 40+ essays on my 50 yrs experience over several countries as a roving correspondent, then as a free lancer - that way my book on self deception syndrome is to be released by end of january 2018. read and comment should you desire to know how you are in self deception mode!

the current social security system must be reformed

Big time. We need to transition to a system of tax-free individual pension accounts, away from the current pay-as-you-go system that makes pensioners dependent upon a shrinking pool of workers.

the government will take steps to facilitate re-employment of the elderly

Rather, they should just abolish the current out-dated system that requires people "retire" by a set age in the first place.

such as by supporting those who would like to start a business through offering loans by the government-affiliated Japan Finance Corp

No. Such people should just go to the bank like everyone else. If there is merit to the business plan then someone will want to fund it (unless Japan is fundamentally broken). Leave tax payer money out of this.

The government will also promote measures to enhance seniors' well-being and reduce their need for nursing care

It sounds good in principle, but how in practice? Reforming the health system is how I'd incentivize people to stay fit and healthy.

the current social security system must be reformed,

So instead of fixing the social security system they just implement the easiest (and dumbest) workaround - let's make all the elderly work. And they will return to work, even if they don't want to, because their pensions are so small that they cannot cope with the ever increasing living costs. The only right solution to the problem is: 1. Universal Basic Income; 2. Replacing workers with AI and Automation; 3. Fair taxation system for large corporations which are sitting on the piles of cash.

Good... then stop giving seniors Free bus rides. Every time I get on a bus during off rush hour... it is loaded with Seniors. Raise the age limit to 80. If you retired in 1990 at 65... you've enjoyed the best timing ever. Prices actually never rose on goods and services and many dropped. Your pension buys as much now as it did 28 years ago.

Re: salarymen, I think the seniority system means that they are on such high wages at 60 that companies are happy to get rid of them, especially the mediocre ones. Many companies cope with the situation of high wages for senior employees by employing new employees on temporarily contracts only.

So its fine for old people to continue working past 60 but people should not be up in arms if their salary falls. It is not the system being cruel to them.

The first step to reforming the pension system should be to get dependents (i.e., housewives) paying into it. Maybe exempt dependents with children under five and full-time carers only. Everyone else can work.