Japan: Saving elderly people from 'lonely deaths'
Key takeaways
- As Japanese society changes, many elderly people find themselves isolated and facing a "lonely death." Government agencies and private groups are working hard to give them a new lease on life.
- The issue has become such a part of modern society here that it even has its own term, "kodokushi" — making up close to 5% of Japan's overall death rate.
- Statistics released by the government and police in late April showed that 76,941 people died "lonely deaths" across Japan in the 2025 fiscal year, which ended on March 31.
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As Japanese society changes, many elderly people find themselves isolated and facing a "lonely death." Government agencies and private groups are working hard to give them a new lease on life.
https://p.dw.com/p/5Dl44Nearly 77,000 people died in isolation in the 12 months preceding April 2025, according to the Japanese government Image: Behrouz Mehri/AFPAdvertisement Japan is facing a rising number of "lonely deaths," or people dying in isolation, despite government efforts to stem the tide. The issue has become such a part of modern society here that it even has its own term, "kodokushi" — making up close to 5% of Japan's overall death rate.
Statistics released by the government and police in late April showed that 76,941 people died "lonely deaths" across Japan in the 2025 fiscal year, which ended on March 31. That is 921 cases more than the previous year.