Current issues on ageing in Japan: a comparison with Australia

Japan's demography has changed dramatically, and with it, Japanese society and the circumstances of older people. These changes include shifts in family roles and functions, employment and social relations. Traditionally, families provided financial, physical and psychological support to their parents in the same household. While the proportion of older Japanese who live with adult children is still high in comparison to the rate in Western developed countries, patterns of care in Japan are gradually shifting towards the Western model. Public pensions supply financial support and the Long-Term Care Insurance System (LCIS) provides substantial physical care for frail older people. This paper focuses on current issues for older people in Japan, and provides a brief comparison with the situation in Australia. Japan's LCIS provides a simpler and more consistent basis for funding long-term care than Australia's system. On the other hand, Australia's pension system is comparatively robust.