Abstract
Japan is suffering from low fertility for more than two decades, and Japanese social security system needs a structural reform to be more effective and sustainable. In this paper, we discussed structural issues in the Japanese social security system, which will provide the basis for containing social expenditure in Japan. Some Japanese benefits, such as child-rearing support and benefit for low income families as well as long-term care benefit, need to be increased. On the other hand, it is important to incorporate right incentives in the system for healthcare and LTC services, and new forms of solidarity are indispensable to make Japanese social security system sustainable.
Highlights
The Japanese population is ageing rapidly with a very low fertility since the 1990s
Namely public pension system, public healthcare system, long-term care system, support for child-rearing, and social welfare system, in general needs a structural reform to be more effective and sustainable, but the process is under way with many difficulties
The Employees Pension Insurance (EPI) covers most of employees in private sector, it does not cover most of part-time workers
Summary
The Japanese population is ageing rapidly with a very low fertility since the 1990s. This low fertility together with a long life expectancy makes it more serious and difficult to reform social security system in Japan. The aging of the population has been increasing the demand for formal long-term care (LTC) services. This situation is exacerbated by increased female labor force participation and a cultural change as more women are questioning their traditional role as the primary family caregivers, for their husband’s parents [2]. This paper aims to identify structural issues in the Japanese social security system from national and international perspectives These issues are mutually related, and the purpose of this paper is not to make an exhaustive list of issues but to identify some issues, which we believe will provide the basis for containing social expenditure in Japan and may provide implications for social security reforms in other developed countries
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