The chart illustrates the proportion of elderly people in Japan, Sweden, and the USA over a period of a century, from 1940 to 2040.
Overall, the data indicates that the percentage of elderly people in all three countries is expected to increase significantly by 2040, despite some fluctuations in the earlier years.
In 1940, both Sweden and the USA had elderly populations starting just above 7%. Over the next few decades, these figures rose steadily, with Sweden consistently maintaining a slightly higher percentage than the USA. After the 1990s, the trends for these two countries diverged, with Sweden experiencing more pronounced fluctuations. However, by the present day, both countries have converged again, and projections suggest they will continue to rise together, peaking around 25% by 2040.
In contrast Japan began with a lower elderly population of around 5% in 1940. This proportion declined slightly and remained relatively stable until around 1990. However, from the early 2000s onwards, Japan’s elderly population has surged dramatically and is expected to surpass both Sweden and the USA, reaching approximately 30% by 2040.