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Paper short abstract

Japan is an astonishingly safe society. What is conspicuous, however, is how the proportion of arrestees aged over-65 has grown fourfold since the year 2000. I offer an account of the factors behind this Japanese elderly crime boom.

Paper long abstract

Japan is in the grip of an elderly crime surge. It is not the case that Japanese crime in general is on the rise. On the

contrary, Japan remains, as it has historically been, a remarkably law-abiding society, with a steady decline even being

observable, unlike in most other developed nations, of overall criminality. What stands to be noted against this

background trend, however, is how a rapidly growing percentage of crimes is carried out by over-65s. So pronounced

has this elderly crime wave become that in 2020, when the proportion of senior arrestees reached a record high of

one in every five, a series of articles appeared in domestic and foreign media suggesting that the Japanese elderly,

finding themselves poor, lonely and isolated, purposefully commit crimes so that they can enter the prison estate and

become beneficiaries of care and community there. With a view to aiding Japanese policy-makers in formulating

policies that would alleviate the burden now undeniably mounting on prisons from this ever-growing population of

people needing extra care, I offer to fill the gap in the academic literature on this issue and empirically and

comprehensively investigate the factors behind the elderly crime boom.

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Paper short abstract

As Japan’s population ages, dementia has become an issue of growing importance. This presentation analyses public discourse on dementia in Japanese media, tracing major shifts and examining the factors behind them, since perceptions of dementia shape how the illness is understood and experienced.

Paper long abstract

In Japan, dementia became a widely discussed public issue following the publication of Ariyoshi Sawako’s bestselling novel Kōkotsu no hito (The Twilight Years) in 1972, which was followed by a film adaptation the next year and several television series. At that time, Japan’s ageing population accounted for only 7.1 percent of the total population (1970).

Since then, not only has the ageing rate risen to nearly 30 percent today, with more than 4.5 million people estimated to be living with dementia, but the ways in which dementia is discussed and understood have changed considerably. The introduction of the Long-Term Care Insurance system in 2000 gradually contributed to the growing acceptance of institutional care as a legitimate option. Dementia, once hidden within families and cared for primarily by daughters and daughters-in-law, has increasingly become a topic openly discussed in public—by families as well as by people in the early stages of dementia themselves. This shift has been accompanied by the expansion of care infrastructures, including nursing homes, daycare services, care managers, and home helpers.

At the same time, public discourse has moved away from viewing dementia solely as an inevitable fate of old age toward an emphasis on prevention and delay. More recently, this discourse has further evolved to promote the social inclusion of people with mild dementia, with some employers redesigning jobs to accommodate employees with dementia—particularly those affected at a younger age—or creating suitable employment opportunities for older individuals living with the condition.

As Emma Putnam observes, “how we represent dementia both reflects and helps to shape how we experience the syndrome, individually and collectively” (Navigating Dementia and Discourse, 2025). Perceptions of dementia are therefore of crucial importance. In this presentation, I trace changes in public discourse on dementia in selected Japanese media in order to identify major shifts and the factors behind them, including developments in medical knowledge, demographic and economic pressures, and cultural influences such as literature and film, all of which have played significant roles in shaping these discursive transformations.

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Paper short abstract

This paper examines the retention and experiences of older foreign residents in Japan using survey data from 999 migrants. Focusing on economic and socio-cultural factors, it explores why migrants in their 40s-60s stay longer and how they navigate aging in Japan’s changing demographic landscape.

Paper long abstract

Japan’s aging society is typically examined through the lens of its citizen population, yet foreign residents are also part of this demographic transformation. While many studies focus on attracting young, skilled migrants to fill labor shortages, far less attention has been paid to those already in their 40s, 50s, and 60s who are living and working in Japan. These migrants are at the verge of aging themselves, and their presence raises important questions for understanding retention and integration in an aging society. My research is based on a survey conducted with 999 foreign residents, of whom more than 130 are in their 40s, 50s, or 60s. Preliminary observations suggest that older migrants are more likely to remain in Japan for the long term, but the reasons behind this pattern remain underexplored. This paper will explore: What makes older migrants stay longer in Japan? What economic and socio-cultural challenges do they face as they age? What future concerns do they have? The analysis will be based on two broad sets of factors. Economic factors include employment stability, income, and problems faced at work. Socio-cultural factors consist of participation in community association, relationship with locals, intention to learn Japanese, social integration, experiences of discrimination, and future concerns. By situating foreign residents within the broader debates on demographic decline and generational change, this paper highlights an overlooked aspect of Japan’s aging society: migrants are not only supplementing its labor force but also aging themselves. The aim of this research is to investigate the factors that contribute to the long-term retention of older migrants in Japan, to identify the economic and socio-cultural challenges they face as they age, and to consider how their experiences can inform more inclusive future policies.

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Paper short abstract

This study examines older Japanese Brazilians in Japan and their experiences of aging as well as their perceptions on social well-being. Based on qualitative survey data, this study also aims to investigate the broader socio-cultural issues that Japan is facing through the lens of aging.

Paper long abstract

Japan is said to be a “super aging society,” and it is estimated that by 2030, more than 30% of Japan’s population will be aged 65 or older. Along with an aging populace is the aging of the “Other,” or the ethnic minorities—both oldcomers and newcomers—that have made Japan their home. Discussions on Japan’s aging society have left out the aging realities faced by these non-Japanese minorities, as focus has been skewed towards the need for foreign workers to address labour shortage and mitigate Japan’s inadequate pension system. Meanwhile, discussions on multicultural co-existence or tabunka kyousei seldom take into consideration the needs of older migrant and minority groups.

This study examines the experiences of older Japanese Brazilian migrants in Japan as they reach their older years. Most of these Japanese Brazilians entered Japan upon the amendment of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act in 1990, which made it possible for people of Japanese descent to live and work in Japan indefinitely. Based on qualitative survey data gathered in 2025, this (ongoing) study investigates these migrants’ perceptions of aging outside their countries of birth, as it relates to their own perceptions on social well-being–particularly its social and cultural aspects—as long-term migrants in Japan. Using this particular case, this study also aims to address the following questions: 1) How do older ethnic minorities and migrants experience aging in Japan? 2) What can aging tell us about broader socio-cultural issues that Japan is facing?

This study argues that the aging experience of migration is gendered and intertwined with one’s own cultural and social capital. In addition, language and communication, one’s status of residence, spirituality and religion, and the presence or absence of family are also deemed significant. This study aims to shed light on the challenges that older migrants in Japan are facing as they navigate the aging process with their lived realities as migrants. It also suggests that aging-in-place as a shared reality between migrants/minorities and the Japanese challenges the concept of tabunka kyousei.

Keywords: Japan, Japanese Brazilians, aging, migrants and minorities, social well-being