Aging and Political Participation in Japan: The Dankai Generation in a Political Swing

Abstract

Population aging is not just the socioeconomic issue of Japan's future, but the political issue as well. The sharing of resources for an aging society will reshape policy strategies and democracy-building. This article will examine the direction and nature of participation by the elderly in the political process of Japanese society.

The political economy of public investment when population is aging: A panel cointegration analysis

“…Moreover, the gap increases over time, which is in line with the findings by Smets (2010). Similar results have been reported for the US (File, 2014), Canada (Barnes and Virgint, 2010) and Japan (Takao, 2009). Based on the ESS dataset, elderly voter turnout is higher in all European countries considered except for Belgium where voting is mandatory.…”

Sustainable Development Goals - How Can Japanese Local Government's Help?

“…The SDGs will be added to the UN's global policy agendas after 2015, and the SDGs together with other agendas, such as war and peace, nuclear weapons and reforming the global financial system [3] (pp. [34][35]. According to the outcome document of the UN's MDGs Summit in 2010 [4] (p.29), the post-2015 development agenda issue was first requested by the Secretary-General to make recommendations for broadening the global agenda beyond the MDGs as its focus had been on poverty reduction only and now needed to include broader sustainability goals.…”

“…They are the improved energy efficiency through passive design buildings [30] (p.33); the new technologies such as cogeneration and decentralised energy supply system [30] (pp. [35][36]; the recycled wasted energy from the plant, the sewerage facility, the river and the ocean [30] (pp. [39][40] and the renewable energy use [30] (pp.…”

“…One of the influential factors of opportunity-seeking in Japan can be the first baby boomers (known as the Dankai no Sedai) who were born between 1947 and 1949. Takao [35] (p.868) points out the political power of the retired baby boomers who are larger in numbers and richer than other generations. They increasingly engage in volunteer works for social needs and natural disaster more than other generations, and one of the largest baby boomer civil network tries to find a solution to the concentrated burden on younger generations [35] (p.869).…”

“…Takao [35] (p.868) points out the political power of the retired baby boomers who are larger in numbers and richer than other generations. They increasingly engage in volunteer works for social needs and natural disaster more than other generations, and one of the largest baby boomer civil network tries to find a solution to the concentrated burden on younger generations [35] (p.869). Kyosei is a Japanese word which means equality and inclusiveness and is adopted by local governments for a policy base [35] (p.870).…”