Many elderly people die alone these days. The breakup of the extended family structure amid the march of urbanization as well as, possibly, the accompanying economic decline in rural areas may be responsible for weakening human bonds. To discuss the issue of dying alone, four government bodies — the internal affairs ministry, the health and welfare ministry, the national police agency, and the infrastructure and transport ministry — set up a panel of experts.
The panel calls for reviving the sense of community among people in general and helping elderly people feel that they have a role to play in the community. Although there is no quick solution, local governments and citizens should be thinking about ways to deepen ties with people living alone and thus prevent them from dying alone.
Many people die alone, the panel points out, because an increasing number of elderly people live alone due to the nation's declining birthrate and aging population. In 1980, the number of households in which people aged 65 or over lived alone stood at about 880,000. This figure increased to about 3.87 million in 2005 and is projected to reach about 5.62 million in 2015.