In Japan shi areas, or the areas consisting of shi municipalities are regarded nominally as urban areas, while gun areas, or those of machi or cho and mura or son municipalities are regarded as rural areas. In 1995, the percentage of total population in the elderly ages of 65 and over recorded 19.0% for gun areas against 13.7% for shi areas. The aged dependency ratio as of 1995 presented 29.6 for gun areas against 19.3 for shi areas. Also, the elderly-child ratio in the corresponding year showed 112.8 for gun areas against 87.2 for shi areas.
In addition, DIDs, or Densely Inhabited Districts delineated substantially as urban areas for statistical purpose, indicated 12.5% of total population in the elderly ages, whereas non-DIDs, or the areas not included in DIDs, did 18.3% in 1995. Also, the aged dependency ratio in the corresponding year presented 17.4 for DIDS and 28.1 for non-DIDs. On the other hand, the elderly-child ratio in the corresponding year showed 81.0 for DIDS and 108.6 for non-DIDs. From those findings described above, therefore, it is implied obviously that the degree of population aging is much more significant in rural areas than in urban areas.
