The line graph shows the percentage of people aged 65 and over in Japan, Sweden and the USA between 1940 and 2040.
Overall, the proportion of elderly people increases in all three countries. The USA and Sweden have higher figures for most of the period, while Japan starts with the lowest percentage but is expected to become the country with the oldest population by 2040.
In 1940, about 9% of the population in the USA was aged 65 or over, compared with around 7% in Sweden and 5% in Japan. During the next forty years, the figures for the USA and Sweden rose steadily to approximately 15% and 14% respectively. In contrast, Japan’s percentage fell slightly to around 3%.
From 1980 to 2020, the proportion of older people in the USA remained fairly stable at about 14-15%. Sweden increased more noticeably, reaching around 20% before falling slightly. Japan showed a slow rise from about 3% to 10%.
After 2020, all three countries are predicted to experience growth in their elderly populations. Japan is expected to increase dramatically, reaching about 27% by 2040. Sweden will rise to around 25%, while the USA will grow more gradually to approximately 23%. Thus, Japan is forecast to have the highest proportion of elderly people in 2040.