Japan: Workers Over 60 Increase to 10% of Workforce

According to survey results from Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, workers aged 60 or older comprised 10% of full-time employees for the first time in 2008. In addition, almost 60% of employers had such senior employees. The 10% rate represented an increase of 2.4 points from 2004 and over doubling from the 49.% rate in 1992.

Among other findings, 50.2 per cent of responding businesses employed workers aged 60 to 64, 26.9 per cent employed workers in the age bracket of 65 to 69, and 15.6 per cent had people aged 70 or older on their payroll.

Smaller establishments tended to have more elderly workers, the ministry said. For example, the rate of senior employees there was 12.0 per cent at those employing five to 29 workers.

By sector, real estate had the highest rate at 18.1 per cent, followed by transportation with 14.9 per cent and mining with 13.7 per cent.

The survey also found that 89.1 per cent of businesses with a mandatory retirement age of 60 to 64 had programs to continue employing workers after the limit.

Source: Business Standard "60% businesses employed senior people in 2008: Poll" (August 21, 2009)