Japan elderly population makes up record 29%, highest among other nations

Japan's population aged 65 or older accounted for a record 29.6 percent of the total, the government estimated Sunday, with the proportion remaining the highest among countries with populations exceeding 40 million.

The elderly population totaled a record 36.24 million -- 15.71 million men and 20.54 million women -- up 20,000 from a year earlier, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications said ahead of Japan's Respect for the Aged Day on Monday.