Hiroshi Suzuki had a fulfilling career in which he traveled the world as an engineer. Then, at age 65, he retired. That didn¡¯t last long. For the past seven years Suzuki, 72, has been a nursing aide in the Tokyo area, and says he¡¯s years away from true retirement.
Economists say if Japan wants to alleviate its worsening labor shortage, it needs a whole lot more people like Suzuki, who is atypical by working into his 70s. Though it boasts the world¡¯s oldest population, Japan does an inadequate job of employing healthy seniors, they say. The reasons: company policies, work culture and a history of rigid seniority rules that work against older employees, providing a cautionary tale to aging economies, including those in Europe and the U.S.
¡°People in their 70s can still work. There are still so many things you can do as long as you are healthy,¡± said Suzuki, who was a designer and engineer for an electric-furnace manufacturer and now works at a nursing home run by Care 21 Co., one of the few Japanese companies that have abolished a mandatory retirement age. ¡°There¡¯s no need to think about retiring until you turn 80.¡±
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