In an ageing society where many pensioners are refreshingly sprightly, the ruling party looks utterly clapped-out.
Another factor which politicians will have to keep in mind is the ageing society.
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As Japan's student population shrinks in an ageing society, universities are delighted to find ways to attract older, richer students.
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Making matters worse, at least for those who believe that Japan has to reform, are the political effects of an ageing society.
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But for most countries, the population questions that matter most are either: do we have enough people to support an ageing society?
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Retirement at 60 in an ageing society is not a sign of civilisation, but a cruel joke played on the next generation.
The reforms have been welcomed by the Association of British Insurers (ABI) as "another positive step forward in tackling the challenges of an ageing society".
The Health White Paper, published by Health Minister Deputy Anne Pryke, sets out ways the island can change to cope with an ageing society.
At the same time, the survey said that income inequality and an ageing society were likely to be a source of tension in the long run.
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On the other hand, one of the biggest challenges that successive Japanese governments have faced is how to meet the huge social security costs engendered by an ageing society.
Both intend to merge the city and prefectural governments, to create a regional block to draw investment and jobs away from Tokyo and help reshape government to cope with an ageing society.
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Jack Levin, a criminology professor at Northeastern University in Boston, acknowledges the success of policing strategies, but notes that an ageing society like the United States should expect to experience less violent crime.
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Han Mun Deok, from the ministry of health, says the rise in insurance premiums is part of a bigger strategy, with the setting up of a special commission tasked with preparing for the shift to an ageing society.
But Singapore still faces the challenge of rising inequality in a society that is also rapidly ageing.
But he added that, with an ageing population, it was one of the biggest issues society faced.
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"Our society is in denial of the inevitability of ageing, " said Baroness Greengross, chief executive of the International Longevity Centre UK and a crossbench member of the House of Lords.
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