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Nikkei Asia

Japan care facilities struggle as foreign population ages

Society 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.