Japan has 68,000 people over 100 years old - and the economy can't keep up

Sep 26, 2017

An elderly woman pushes a walking aid as she walks on a street at Tokyo's Sugamo district, an area popular among the Japanese elderly, in Tokyo January 14, 2015. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's cabinet approved on Wednesday a record $812 billion budget for the coming fiscal year while cutting new borrowing for a third straight year in a bid to balance growth and fiscal reform. The largest budget item, social welfare spending, will rise 1 trillion yen to a record 31.53 trillion yen. REUTERS/Toru Hanai (JAPAN - Tags: SOCIETY BUSINESS POLITICS TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY) - GM1EB1E15IG01

With more than 65,000 centenarians last year, Japan's ageing population could lead to a severe economic downturn. Image: REUTERS/Toru Hanai

Chris Weller

Ideas Reporter, Business Insider

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