Gerontology programs in Japanese higher education: brief history, current status, and future prospects

The development of gerontological education is lagging behind in Japan in spite of Japan's large population of elders. Nevertheless, there are signs that this may be changing. In this paper we discuss how gerontology education has evolved in Japan over the past 40 years. Specifically, we provide an overview of the development of academic societies related to gerontology, the number of gerontological books published, government statements about gerontology education, and Japan's only graduate program in gerontology. We also identify some reasons for the delay in creating gerontology programs and propose specific steps that might be taken to reverse this trend.