The age profile for the year 2025 shows a vicissitude of age structure which is top-heavy and characterized by two salient bulges, one in the middle and the other in the old ages . Here, population ageing is coming to its climax.

The last age profile for the year 2050 represents a more classic penshaped figure with a narrower base, though it still has an accordion-like vestige of echo effects of past baby booms and baby busts. The last one might draw a contour line pretty close to that of a stable population which has been generated by many year's interactions of constant low fertility and constant low mortality with the originally rugged population. The reader may be quite impressed with that picture in which the accordion-shaped population contour remains quite tenaciously for so many years, nearly one century long. Anyhow, here population ageing will start getting stabilized as a result of population dynamics operated for many years.

　

Figure 1.　Age Profile of the Population of Japan： 1950

Source ： Statistics Bureau, Management and Coordination Angency, 1950 Population census of Japan.

　

Figure 2.　Age Profile of the Population of Japan： 1995

Source ： Statistics Bureau, Management and Coordination Angency 1995 Population Census of Japan.

　

Figure 3.　Age Profile of the Population of Japan： 2025

Source ： National Institute of Population and Social Security Research, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Population Projections for Japan ： 1996-2100, 1997.

　

Figure 4.　Age Profile of the Population of Japan： 2050

Source ： See Figure 3.

BACK　　　CONTENTS　　　NEXT