Local News

Metro Fukuoka Not Immune to Graying

Although the population of the metropolitan Fukuoka is growing, aging is also steadily progressing. This revelation came from a demographic survey released by the Development Bank of Japan’s Kyushu Branch on Mar. 19. Contrary to the city’s image a “young and vibrant urban center”, the population increase is actually due to an uptick in elderly residents. The survey, which covers 10 cities and 10 towns around Fukuoka City (including Kiyama Town in Saga), found that the metro area population had grown 7.5% between 2000 and 2010 to 2.513 million on the back of a 42.9% increase in the population of senior citizens aged 65 and over. Meanwhile, the working age population (ages 15 ~ 64) only grew 1.6%, while the youth population (ages 14 and under) fell 1.0%. With a 17.6% population aging rate over the same 10-year period, Fukuoka is the second slowest aging city among Japan’s 20 designated cities behind only Kawasaki City (Kanagawa); however, the Bank pointed out that the number of elderly people living alone is on the rise which means “we must consider regional policy options in preparation for a super-aging society given concerns over possible worker shortages in the future.” Source: Nishinippon Shimbun, Mar. 21


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Category
Society
Published: Mar 21, 2013 / Last Updated: Apr 1, 2016

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