By 2050, the number of people aged 65 and older in Japan with no close relatives is expected to increase by about 1.5 times and account for more than 10 per cent of the elderly population, according to Japan media.
The issue raises concerns over who will act as their guarantors in hospitals and nursing homes and who will pick up their bodies. The Civil Code of Japan puts the burden of supporting aging family members on relatives up to the third degree of kinship, as those without relatives will total 4.48 million, the Japan Research Institute reported.
Earlier, the National Police Agency of Japan reported that more than 37,000 people died alone in Japan in the first six months of 2024, counting data from 103,000 autopsies and other death investigations conducted between January and June.
This is particularly sensitive because having a guarantor is crucial, as many nursing homes and medical centres require them for their services. The number of seniors without close relatives who are certified as needing long-term care or support through state long-term care insurance is expected to grow from 340,000 to 590,000 by 2050.
In addition, the number of people aged 65 and older without a third-degree relative will increase from 2.86 million in 2024, according to the National Institute of Population and Social Security Research. The projected figure in 2050 is about 11.5 per cent of the total elderly population, or those aged 65 and over, or 39 million.
The estimates also showed that the number of people aged 65 and older without children will increase from 4.59 million in 2024 to 10.32 million in 2050. Within this group, the number of unmarried people is expected to increase from 3.71 million to 8.34 million over the same period, once again highlighting the demographic problem in the country.
The government has introduced a number of measures, including guidelines for companies to avoid potential problems. For example, Japan introduced various measures to encourage people to meet and pursue relationships, such as dating apps, which are particularly popular with people under 40.
