The provided graphs illustrate the employment rates for 60-to-64-year-old men and women in Belgium, USA, Japan and Australia in 1970 and 2000. Overall, employment among males accounted for more than that among females, with Japan leading in both gender categories. In addition, employment among seniors generally witnessed downward trends in a period of 30 years.
In 1970, Japan had the greatest percentage of senior males in employment at 85%, followed closely by Belgium at 79%, Australia at 76% and USA at 73%. After 30 years, male employment rates decreased, with that for Japanese men retaining its first position at 74%. At the same time, percentages for employed American and Australian men followed a similar trend, dropping to 55% and 47% respectively. Figures for Belgium in 2000 sharply plummeted to a quarter of that for Belgium in 1970, coming last among the four countries.
Employment rates for women aged 60-64 were modest in comparison with those for men in the same age bracket, with Japanese female seniors accounting for the highest proportion at 43% in 1970. 36% of American elderly women were employed, whereas Australia and Belgium had substantially lower employment rates for senior women at 16% and 8% respectively. By 2000, figures for Japan and Belgium increased, with the former leading at 40% and the latter reporting the lowest percentages among the four nations at a mere 7%. Conversely, female employment rates in the United States and Australia increased to 39% and 18% in order.