In the three years from 1947-49, some 8 million babies were born in this war-ravaged country, creating Japan's first and biggest postwar baby boom.
This generation later came to be known as the dankai no sedai ("big lump" generation). Starting in 2007, these baby boomers will start entering retirement in huge numbers.

The huge demographic bump combined with a higher percentage of students aiming to enter higher education because they wanted to get ahead generated fierce competition at school. Baby boomers competed for entry to prestigious high schools and universities in what was described as an entrance examination "war."

Entering college, this generation rebelled against long-held values, leading to student riots at universities nationwide.

After they joined the work force, however, they became ferocious corporate warriors. Many married spouses close to their own age, forming what were nicknamed friend couples. They also tended to have fewer children, and lived a modern lifestyle in the nuclear new families.

In 1992, the baby boom generation had reached its 40s when leading advertising agency Dentsu Inc. conducted a lifestyle survey of middle-aged Japanese, including the dankai generation. The results indicated that enormous changes had taken place since a similar survey was done 13 years earlier.
For example, the number of respondents who owned jeans had tripled.
Nearly 60 percent said their hobbies would be important for their emotional well-being in their retirement years. On the other hand, the number who said they regularly volunteered to help out in their communities or other groups had declined.

The 1992 survey portrayed middle-aged Japanese as people who valued their individuality and devoted much energy to doing what they wanted to do, but who weren't too interested in other people.

Many in this generation are torn between the desire to take it easy after decades of hard work and doubt whether their post-employment days will be enjoyable.

Jitsuro Terashima, chairman of the Japan Research Institute and a baby boomer himself, wonders whether his generation has become too obsessed with enriching their own private life in this society that greatly emphasizes individuality. But such society and wealth will be compromised when this generation of baby boomers retires en masse. Terashima urges his generation to make more contributions to society.

"Rich people can offer their money, active people their labor and skilled people their skills, so that we can support society together with the younger generations, instead of becoming a burden on them," he says.
How will baby boomers spend the second part of their lives? How can they enrich their remaining years while mitigating the heavy impact their retirement will have on this nation?