A couple of days ago, I took a train in Tokyo’s suburbs. It was just before lunchtime; the autumn sun shone sharply through the windows, and all was a little chilly. There was plenty of space, and it was free from the rush-hour crush of workers and students.
All Elderly, but Different
Unlike during rush hour, I noticed that passengers on the train were quite different from those then. A man next to me, with gray hair and in his 70s, was typing messages awkwardly on his smartphone. On the opposite side, there were three women around in their 60s, chatting cheerfully about their hobbies. There was also a woman in her late 80s, napping while holding a wooden stick. It sparked a thought. While we might classify all of these people as elderly, they might belong to different cohorts, with different experiences and life values. They are all over 60 years old, but their ages and behaviors differ. The Late 80s and 60s could be parents and children.
Generations in the Elderly
Japan’s aging society makes “the elderly” ever more heterogeneous. The dynamic history of Japan over the past 100 years can tell us how the Japanese have navigated different educational, economic, social, and political environments throughout their lives. Let’s look at what generations of older people in Japan:
TAISHO GENERATION (born 1912 – 1926; 93 – 107 years old in 2019)
They were born in the democratic era of Emperor Taisho as Japan continued to modernize. Ordinary people, however, suffered from poverty continuing from the Meiji Era. Also, the Japanese Family System in Taisho promoted loyalty and a sense of belonging within families and encouraged many children. We can still see that the Taisho Generation takes simple meals, has no luxuries, and tries to stay connected with their families. They hold their stories of surviving many ups and downs.
SHOWA SINGLE-DIGIT GENERATION (born 1927 – 1934; 85 – 92 years old)
Showa Single-Digit was born in the first nine years of the reign of Emperor Showa. As children, they cheered their fathers off to war and lived their teens in the terrible hardship of its aftermath. In a country whose entire infrastructure had been destroyed, their labors drove the postwar economic recovery. Society has recognized these Wartime Teenagers as a uniquely strong-minded, resilient, and confident generation.
YAKEATO (BURN-OUT RUINS) GENERATION (born 1935 – 1946; 73 – 84 years old)
Yakeato Generation was born into devastation. All of their formative experiences were of poverty and fundamental transitions in politics, education, and social systems. No wonder, then, that these grew into the radicals who led the student riots for peace and democracy in the 1960s. Their energy turned to their work, and they became the workforce during Japan’s period of high economic growth in the 1960s to 1970s. We can still see them as resilient, but be active in speaking up and moving on.
BABY BOOMERS – Dankai no Sedai (CLUMPED GENERATION) (born 1947 – 1949; 70 – 72 years old)
There was a Baby Boom after World War II when many men returned from the war, got married, and had children. This generation is called Dankai no Sedai (Clumped Generation0, named by a Japanese author: Taichi Sakaiya. Baby Boomers are a large cohort with around 2.7 million babies born in just three years. This large cohort has always attracted attention, from its massive employment to its mandatory en masse retirement, due to its impact on the economy.
APATHY GENERATION (born 1950 – 1964; 55 – 69 years old)
This generation is quite different from other elder generations. In contrast to enthusiastic Baby Boomers, the Apathy Generation is cool and politically apathetic. Rather than politics, their interests focused on individual well-being and achievement. Apathy Generation was the origin of many of the current young generations’ views on many things. They were the first generation to experience heated competition for entrance exams. Manga, Anime, and computer games have grown from this generation, too.
We can see how people in these generations have experienced dramatic changes in their lives. They all have survived and lived by adapting to changes in their ways. Their efforts to adapt to changes continue in modern society.
Not retiring, but influencing.
Many people over 60 years old have already retired, but they are NOT idle, indeed. Some people actively volunteer to participate in local communities. I just recalled men and women whom I saw on the train before lunchtime. They looked active in different ways. The man in his 70s managed the use of his smartphone. A group of women in their 60s enjoyed their long-time hobbies. They continue to consume products and services to cope with societal changes.
When we say “elderly consumers,” we tend to lump them into one category: elderly people. We also often pay attention only to their current habits, attitudes, and physical status. But their past experiences can influence their attitudes and behaviors on things today. Let’s explore them further and in greater depth.