(1) Policy Studies for Comprehensive Promotion of Measures for Aging Society

- For the purpose of comprehensively promoting measures for the "transverse challenges" established in the General Principles Concerning Measures for the Aging Society, further policy researches such as completing guidelines or establishing policy systems have been carried out. In the future, Japan will face full-scale depopulation. Therefore, in order to keep and increase our national vitality, it is essential to realize a society that allows the elderly to become more active participants in aging society by using their skills and experience. To this end, the following two challenges need to be addressed.
* To allow all workers, including the elderly, regardless of age, to further exert their ability in a variety of working styles under appropriate and fair working conditions
* To allow the elderly to contribute to keeping and increasing the social energy through participation in volunteer activities, thereby deepening mutual understanding and solidarity with other generations
In light of this, the "Survey on the Promotion of Social Participation by the Elderly" was conducted in FY2004.
According to the survey results, as for the requirements which are appropriate or necessary for society to address in order to establish a "system that allows everyone, regardless of age, to work according to their ability and willingness to work," "Expansion of the wages and working conditions system that takes into account each worker's ability and willingness to work" exceeded 70% of the total (71.4%), followed by "Review of the Old-age Pension for Active Older Employees and the age when the Employees' Pension starts to be paid" (37.0%), "Increase in working opportunities with flexible working styles such as short-hour or alternate-day regular employees" (36.7%), and "Abolition and review of the compulsory retirement plan" (34.8%). (Chart 2-2-12)

Chart 2-2-12 Requirements of the system that enables employment of the elderly, regardless of their age (up to the top three answers allowed)

Source:

Cabinet Office, "Survey on the Promotion of Social Participation by the Elderly (Survey targeting companies)"

Regarding the reasons for participation in volunteer activities, "Want to feel fulfillment" was the highest (67.7%), followed by "Exchanges with various people are possible" (58.3%), and "Want to have an opportunity to use my knowledge and experience" (42.6%). "Want to receive remuneration" was 12.9%. (Chart 2-2-17)

Chart 2-2-17 Reasons for participation in volunteer activities (multiple answers allowed)

Source:

Cabinet Office, "Survey on the Promotion of Social Participation by the Elderly (Survey targeting NPOs and NPO participants)"