Overview

• Government data put 36.19 million people, or 29.4% of the population, at age 65 or older, the highest share among countries with more than 40 million residents.
• Elderly employment rose for the 21st straight year to a record 9.3 million, making roughly one in seven workers seniors, with most in part-time or contract roles concentrated in wholesale and retail.
• A May revision of the industrial safety and health law now legally requires companies to improve working conditions for senior employees due to higher injury risks with age.
• The 65-plus population declined by 50,000 from a year earlier, yet official projections foresee about 39.28 million seniors by 2040, or 34.8% of the population.
• Japan counted a record 99,763 centenarians in 2025, with women comprising 88% of those aged 100 or older.