Up to What Age Do Japanese Hope to Continue Working? Up to 70?

In Japan, where the percentage of elderly relative to the population is increasing rapidly, the government is now discussing boosting the age from which a worker begins receiving pension payments (social security) from age 65 to 68 or 70. Perhaps reflecting current insecurities over how to support oneself in one’s old age, when regular company staff were polled concerning if they wished to work beyond age 60, 93% of males and 73% of females gave positive responses. However, the response for both declined, to 41% for males and 36% for females, on the condition that they were financially secure. When asked the reasons why they wished to continue working, the most common responses included, “Staying on the job will boost my resilience”; “I want to keep working because it’s something worth doing, and I enjoy it”; “Working enables me to realize myself and grow as a person”; and so on. If enough people who are financially secure continue to work and pay their share of taxes, the social pension system will remain financially viable.