In 1992, 13% of the Japanese population is over the age of 65.  By the year 2.000, that figure is expected to have risen to 16.9%, which is just the same aging rate in 2.000 in Sweden.  Figure.7 and Table.4 show the rapid aging in Japan.

   
  In Sweden it took 80 years from aging rate 7% to 14%.  But in  Japan it takes only 25 years.  Japan is now facing such a rapid  aging.

  Nowadays it has become more difficult for the families to take care of their old parents at home in Japan. The biggest four reasons are as follows;

  In the past it was quite common in Japan that the families took care of their old parents at home. It was called the Japanese " beautiful " tradition. But recently this tradition has been disappearing so rapidly.  One of the reasons is that the elderly live much longer than before (Figure.8) .

  The life expectancy in Japan is the longest in the world now -81.8 for females, 75.9 for males in 1990. This means that the number of sick elderly has increased and the care burden of the family has become heavier and heavier.

  Another reason is that the number of children has decreased rapidly in Japan recently. 

  In the past brothers and sisters helped each other to take care of their sick parents. But recently about half of the Japanese families have only one child.  And more and more women has begun to work outside and the number of housewives has been decreasing rapidly. The unemployment rate in Japan is 2% in 1992 and more and more labor force is required in Japan.  Now about 50% of the women from 15 -65 years old have job (including part-time job).   In the future more and more women will have jobs in Japan.

  There are still large percentage of large family in Japan compared with European countries. But for the last 20 years more and more Japanese families have become nuclear families and young families and old parents live different places (Figure.9) .

  Percentage of People Aged 65 or over who Live With Their Children, Selected Countries, 1950-1988

  So the social service for the elderly has become more important in Japan recently.  Such current situation in Japan is a little similar to the Swedish situation in 1950-1960, when the aging rate aged 65 and over was also around 10-12% and women began to participate at the labor market.  

  These policies are similar to those of U.S.A..  After the Second World War, Japanese people have been learning mainly from U.S.A. to develop the country to one of the economic superpowers in the world.  But Japan must change the elderly care policy to some extent now.  Because the Japanese society has been changing so rapidly recently and there exist the following various serious problems among the elderly care in Japan now.