Aging Asia

Karen Eggleston, Shripad Tuljapurkar

Demographic shift. Whatever you call it, Asia is aging, and this development will radically alter the region--and the globe--for decades to come. In the Past Fifty Years, two factors have led to global population aging: fertility at or below replacement, and a stunning 67 percent increase in world average life expectancy. In the near future, these factors will skew the demographics of many countries toward the elderly. Meanwhile, changes in labor-force participation, savings, economic growth, living arrangements, marriage markets, and social dynamics are transforming society in fundamental ways. These changes are especially striking in the Asia-Pacific region, where their long-term impacts promise to be substantial. Will the economies of East Asia languish, or will yet another demographic "dividend" spur renewed economic growth? How will aging affect the economies and social...