Japan revamps job system to tackle ageing population

Japan is adapting its labor force structure and preventive healthcare measures to address the challenges posed by its rapidly aging population, which reached super-aged status in 2006. The country's strategy includes embracing technological advancements, such as artificial intelligence, industrial automation, and the development of low-orbit space ventures and semiconductor manufacturing.

Japan is also focusing on extending healthy working lives for older workers and enhancing their skills through workplace redesign, flexible employment arrangements, and digital training. Despite these efforts, Japan still grapples with declining fertility rates and delayed family formation, raising questions about the broader social implications of technological change.

The country's Act on Stabilisation of Employment of Elderly Persons mandates employers to offer opportunities for workers up to age 65 and up to age 70. However, skills development remains a challenge, with only 29% of Japanese workers aged 55-65 participating in training, compared to 35% across OECD countries. Meanwhile, Japan's government is also prioritizing preventive healthcare, with revised workplace health guidelines emphasizing early disease detection and medical examinations.

These measures aim to preserve workforce capacity and mitigate the economic impact of chronic illnesses. Japan's experience may provide valuable lessons for other countries facing similar demographic pressures, such as Thailand, where 21.4% of the population is aged 60 or over.