일본의 고령자 사회정책 - 과제와 전망

Abstract

This study examines the social policy issues relating to the imminent arrival of the aged society in Japan. Firstly, the problems of the elderly, arising inevitably as the end result of the demographic transition, are examined from the demographic-health aspects and the socioeconomic characteristics of the Japanese elderly population. Secondly, the development of major welfare services for the Japanese elderly is discussed in the fields of income maintnenance programs, health and medical services, home based welfare programs, community based welfare programs, institutional care services, and cultural, recreational, educational, and vocational service programs. Recognizing that the Japanese society has long prepared the social welfare guidelines which differ from the European model, we put an emphasis on the policy guideline of welfare improvement for the elderly: (1) improvement of welfare service programs; (2) coordination of health, medical, and welfare services; (3) fostering of sound growth of private sector enterprises; and (4) expansion of health and welfare personnel.