According to the latest statistics from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, the number of employees over the age of 65 in Japan reached 9.09 million in 2021, the highest number in history. Some of these elderly people are due to insufficient pensions, some are in good health, some are seeking social value, and some are bored to pass the time, and they show their abilities and enthusiasm in all walks of life. So, is it a last resort or a pleasure for the elderly in Japan to still go to work at the age of 80?
Japan's pension system is divided into two types: the National Pension and the Employees' Pension, and the National Pension is available to everyone, and the monthly amount received is about 650,000 yen (about 3,000 yuan); The Employees' Pension is available to regular employees and business owners, and the monthly amount is generally more than 100,000 yen (about 5,000 yuan) depending on the salary and the number of years of contributions. However, these pensions are clearly not enough to maintain a decent standard of living. According to a survey by Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, in 2021, the average living expenditure of the elderly in Japan was 2380,000 yen (about 1 yuan.)20,000 yuan), of which housing, medical care, food and other necessities accounted for 1740,000 yen (about 9,000 yuan). This means that if they rely only on pensions, many elderly people will fall into poverty.
As a result, many elderly people have to continue working to support themselves. Most of them are non-regular workers who do manual or low-skilled jobs such as security guards, cleaning, delivery and taxi drivers. These jobs do not pay well, and there is no stability and security, and the elderly need to constantly seek and accept job opportunities, which is subject to great pressure and risk. These older people are motivated primarily to survive, not to satisfy their own interests or realize their own values.
Of course, not all elderly people continue to work because of financial difficulties, and there are some elderly people who choose to continue working because they are healthy, energetic, and unwilling to be idle. Some of these seniors have rich experience and knowledge in their own professional fields, some have strong enthusiasm and responsibility for their own entrepreneurial projects, and some have unlimited creativity and fun in their own hobbies. Not only do they earn money at work, but they also gain a sense of fulfillment, identity, belonging, and social connection. These seniors are motivated primarily by self-actualization, not to survive.
For example, Satoshi Kuramoto, known as the "Japanese national screenwriter", is still running a drama workshop in his 80s to train young newcomers in the theater industry; For example, the "first train designer" Ruiji Mitooka, who is 75 years old and still presents new design works; For example, Takeo Ando, the "father of Japanese ramen", was still running a ramen school at the age of 80 to teach the art and spirit of ramen. These seniors are people who have achieved excellence and influence in their fields, and their work is not only their profession, but also their mission and dream.
In addition to economic and self-actualization motivations, there are also older people who choose to continue working because they seek social value and feel that their work is meaningful. Among these elderly people, some are engaged in some jobs with high social contribution, such as education, medical care, welfare, environmental protection, etc., some are engaged in some jobs with high social demand, such as agriculture, forestry, fishery, etc., and some are engaged in some highly socially innovative jobs, such as science and technology, culture, art, etc. They are not only able to earn income and a sense of fulfillment in their work, but also to gain the respect and gratitude of society, as well as the impact and change they have on society. These older people are motivated primarily by social values rather than survival or self-fulfillment.
For example, some elderly people in Japan have participated in volunteer activities, such as providing support in disaster areas, education in orphanages, and overseas assistance, and they use their knowledge and experience to provide help and support to vulnerable groups in society. For example, some elderly people in Japan have participated in some rural revitalization projects, such as opening homestays in rural areas, planting organic vegetables and fruits in the countryside, and raising wild animals in the mountains and forests. For example, some elderly people in Japan have participated in some entrepreneurial and innovative programs, such as developing intelligent robots, designing traditional crafts, and making original animations, and they use their skills and talents to provide innovation and development for the society's science and technology. These seniors embody social value and meaning in their work, and their work is not only their profession, but also their responsibility and contribution.
Finally, there are some elderly people who choose to continue working because they are bored to pass the time and feel that work does not matter. Among these elderly people, some of them have no hobbies after retirement, some because they have no family and friends to accompany them after retirement, and some because they have no goal plan after retirement, they can not only get income at work, but also be able to pass the time, kill loneliness, and increase social interaction.
Everyone has the right to choose their own lifestyle, and I think that the elderly in Japan are happy that they are still working at the age of 80.
Hotspot Engine Program