Nearly a quarter of employers said older workers make up at least 80% of their staff
Employers across Japan are retaining their older employees in the wake of labour shortages across the country, according to reports.
A survey by Tokyo Shoko Research of more than 5,000 companies found that 64% had workforces in which employees aged 45 and above made up more than half, The Asahi Shimbun reported.
Among them, 22% said these older workers comprised at least 80% of their employee roster.
The top five industries where at least half of employees are 45 or older are:
"At local real estate agencies, for example, it's rare to see young employees. The transportation industry also suffers from chronic labour shortages," Honma told The Asahi Shimbun.
The reliance on Japan's older workforce comes amid reports that the country's labour shortage could reach 3.84 million workers by 2035.
Persol Research and Consulting Co. and Chuo University revealed that 59% of Japanese companies are extending retirement ages and re-hiring retired staff to mitigate the labour shortage.
Other measures that they're taking include ramping up recruitment activities for new graduates (69%).
Japan's labour force reached a record 67.8 million in 2024, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, with older workers compensating for the decline in younger employees in the country.
