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Survey of Seniors: 70 Is the New 'Old'
The Asahi Shimbun
Japan
July 30, 2005
As Japan's population ages, 65 just doesn't seem that old anymore, according to a poll of the 60-and-up crowd.
The government may use 65 as the threshold for being "elderly" for statistics and other official purposes, but nearly half of the respondents in the survey said 70 was the real threshold for being old.
The Cabinet Office survey polled 4,000 seniors in November and December last year, with 2,862, or 72 percent, responding.
The largest number of respondents, at 46.7 percent, chose 70 and up as elderly, followed by 19.7 percent who chose 75 and up as elderly.
Only 14 percent picked the government threshold of 65 and up, and 10.7 percent even said people are not considered elderly until 80.
The notion of being elderly has changed markedly since the previous survey in 1999. Then, 18.3 percent thought 65 and up was elderly, and only 14.7 percent chose 75 and up.
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