Japan Has The World's Oldest Population

For the first time in history, women now outnumber men among university graduates in most developed countries and globally. In the United States, women earn about 57% of all bachelor's degrees. In the OECD, 56% of new graduates are women. This trend is driven by higher female educational attainment rates and greater ambition in academic achievement. However, gender gaps remain in STEM fields — particularly engineering, computing, and physics.

Women outlive men by an average of 4–6 years globally, a gap observed in nearly every country in the world. In Japan, average female life expectancy exceeds 87 years. Scientists point to biological factors including two X chromosomes (which may buffer genetic defects), higher estrogen levels that protect cardiovascular health, and lower rates of risk-taking behavior. Social factors such as lower rates of smoking and alcohol consumption also contribute.

Since the early 2000s, Japan has had more registered pet cats and dogs than children under the age of 15. With one of the world's lowest birth rates and a pet-keeping culture deeply embedded in urban life, Japan's pet industry generates over 1.5 trillion yen annually. This demographic shift underscores Japan's broader aging and declining birth rate crisis.

Karoshi — literally 'death from overwork' — is a recognized occupational hazard in Japan. The phenomenon involves death caused by strokes, heart attacks, or suicide linked to extreme workplace stress and long hours. The Japanese government began tracking karoshi in 1987, and the country passed a law in 2014 to combat it, including a legal cap of 100 overtime hours per month.