The line graph illustrates the percentage of people aged 65 and over in Japan, Sweden, and the USA between 1940 and 2040.
Overall, while the proportion of elderly people in all three countries increased over the period, Japan is expected to see the most dramatic rise after 2020. Initially, the USA and Sweden had higher percentages of elderly compared to Japan, but this trend is forecasted to reverse by 2040.
In 1940, around 7% of Japan’s population was aged 65 and over, significantly lower than both the USA (about 9%) and Sweden (around 7%). Over the next five decades, the percentages in the USA and Sweden rose steadily, reaching roughly 15% and 14% respectively by 1990, while Japan remained almost unchanged.
From 1990 to 2020, the USA and Sweden continued to rise gradually, while Japan only began to increase significantly after 2000. After 2020, Japan’s elderly population is projected to surge sharply, reaching nearly 27% by 2040, making it the highest among the three. In contrast, Sweden and the USA are expected to grow more modestly to about 25% and 23% respectively.
