The most problematic issue for Tokyo today is how to deal with the various effects of the aging society.
A large number of apartments run by the metropolitan government should be renewed for the convenience and safety of the old, be made "barrier free" and have elevators installed. The government especially should do a lot for the those apartment complexes where the majority of residents have become senior citizens. On the other hand, there are more and more reports of solitary deaths. Bodies that nobody claims should be cremated and handled at the expense of local taxpayers.
Tokyo now faces a problem that was unthinkable decades ago. In view of Tokyo's Feb. 9 gubernatorial election, it is deplorable that so few candidates mention issues other than nuclear energy policy and the 2020 Olympics. All Japanese citizens need to pay attention to the issue of the aging society.
The opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are the writer's own and do not necessarily reflect the policies of The Japan Times.
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