Japanese people are living longer, but with a struggling pension system and the highest inflation in decades, more are delaying retirement until their 70s or later to make ends meet.
Michie Hino is one of them. She works at an elderly care home east of Tokyo, where she spends eight hours a day cleaning the facility and washing laundry even though she’s 77 years old herself. She’s part of the workforce supporting Japan’s growing ranks of aged and infirm.
Her monthly pension is just ¥40,000 ($272), far from enough to cover her expenses. She earns ¥160,000 from her work to help pay for basic needs and enable her to save a little.
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