ISTANBUL: Amid labor shortages, Japan's working elderly population has hit an all-time high, according to new data. The country's elderly working population stood at a record 9.14 million last year, according to the country's Internal Affairs Ministry. Japan's total elderly population, aged 65 and above, was recorded at 36.25 million, with 25.2% employed, the public broadcaster NHK reported. Some 15.72 million of the total elderly population were men. The ministry data showed that the number of working elderly men shrank by 40,000 from the previous year to 5.34 million, while the number of working women rose by 50,000 to 3.8 million. As Japan marks Respect for the Aged Day on Monday, the country recorded its largest population decrease in history last year, with a significant drop of 861,000 residents. This demographic shift, observed across various provinces, highlights the nation's ongoing challenges with an aging population and declining birth rates. The population decreased from 122.42 million in 2 022 to 121.56 million in 2023, said the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications early this year in July. This marked the 15th consecutive year of decline and the largest drop since the survey began in 1968. Source: Anadolu Agency