Average life span of the Japanese people extends further

According to an announcement by the Japanese government, the average
life expectancy of the Japanese population, already the longest in the
world, broke all previous records in 2001. The average life span for
men reached 78.07 years (0.35 years longer than the year before) and
that for women reached 84.93 years (0.33 years longer than the previous
year).

Needless to say, infant mortality rate is extremely low in Japan.
Despite steady advancements in medical technology, however, Japan
reportedly has one of the largest number of bedridden elderly in the
world.

According to a survey conducted in July by the National Police Agency,
more than 30,000 Japanese people committed suicide each year in these
four years. One thing that draws particular attention is the large
number of elderly people committing suicide. Those aged 60 and over
accounted for 35.1% of all suicide deaths; those in their 50s accounted
for 25.4%; and those in their 40s accounted for 15.0%. According to
the suicide notes which 9,115 people had left behind, moreover, many
are said to have taken their own lives because of economic reasons
or poverty. This may be the result of increased numbers of middle
aged and older people who have lost their jobs because of the recent
economic recession and corporate restructuring, something worthy of
note.

A little under 10,000 people died each year due to traffic accidents
throughout Japan.

Revision of the Medical Insurance Law, which would increase premium
payments, was carried out as the first of a series of the Koizumi
Administration's reform programs. As many labor unions have pointed
out, the reform appears to be packaged as merely a temporary measure
to prevent insurance finances from deteriorating further. It is still
largely unclear how Japan's future social security systems, including
medical treatments, will be reformed.

The Japanese average life expectancy had broken past records. One
result of this is that Japanese society is under increasing pressure
to make fundamental changes to conventional ways and practices. People
are anxious about the future, with no guarantee of a secure, worry-free
life after retirement. Under these circumstances, they are liable to
keep their purse strings tied tightly, making it difficult for the
government to stimulate domestic demand. It is certain that no Japanese
person is innocently rejoicing over the news that Japan has the longest
life expectancy in the world.