Japan care facilities struggle as foreign population ages
Weak government support leaves civic groups scrambling to help vulnerable seniors
Seniors socialize in Vietnamese, Korean and other languages at a gathering organized by the Kobe Foreigners Friendship Center. (Photo by Utako Kawakami)
UTAKO KAWAKAMI
TOKYO -- A record number of foreign nationals live in Japan and a growing number of them are aging -- at the end of 2024, there were more than 230,000 foreign residents age 65 and older, a 1.5-fold increase over the past decade.
Some, because of aging or dementia, begin to forget Japanese and speak in their native language, a phenomenon called "language reversion." The language barriers this creates, as well as differences in dietary habits and other issues, create unique challenges in eldercare. With foreign residents emerging as a key issue in Sunday's upper house election, advocates are calling for stronger support for elderly foreign residents.
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