‘Plan 75’ highlights aging societies’ dystopian future

The Japanese film Plan 75, which received a special mention for the Camera d'Or at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, sheds light on Japan’s aging population crisis. Set in a fictional Japan where the government supports euthanasia for individuals aged 75 and older, the film portrays a dystopian world shaped by pervasive ageism. It suggests that societies hostile to the elderly, viewing them as a financial burden and a strain on younger generations—could foster policies like euthanasia.

The choice of 75 years old as the cutoff age mirrors Japan's classification of "late-stage elderly." As the world’s fastest-aging nation, Japan faces mounting pressure on healthcare and eldercare systems. This year, Japan’s postwar baby boomers, born between 1947 and 1949, will turn 75, pushing the late-stage elderly population to 21.54 million, roughly 18% of the total population. The Japan Gerontological Society proposed in 2017 that the elderly be redefined into three categories—pre-old (ages 65–74), old (75–89), and super-old (90 and older)—to better reflect demographic trends.

South Korea, which officially became a super-aged society last year, is also grappling with an aging population. With more than 20% of its citizens aged 65 and older, Korea’s elderly population is projected to grow to 34% by 2050. If the country’s low birth rate persists, the number of seniors supported by each working-age person (ages 15 to 64) is expected to nearly triple, rising from 0.27 in 2024 to 0.73 in 2050.

In response, experts proposed on May 9 that South Korea gradually raise the official senior age from 65 to 70 by 2035, increasing the threshold by one year every two years. The current senior age was set in 1981, when the average life expectancy was just 67.9 years. Today, life expectancy has increased to 83.5 years, supporting the case for a change.

Public opinion aligns with the proposed shift. Surveys indicate that most Koreans consider age 70 the true beginning of old age. The rise of the "young-old," seniors in their 60s who are active and healthy, also supports this shift.

However, not everyone agrees. Critics fear that increasing the senior age could result in reduced welfare benefits and exacerbate poverty among seniors. The May 9 proposal’s authors emphasize the need to extend employment opportunities and gradually raise pension eligibility and payout ages to prevent widening income gaps. As of April, 6.9 million people in their 60s were employed—more than the 6.67 million in their 50s. However, many older workers seek employment because they cannot survive on basic pensions and public assistance alone.

While health improvements among seniors, including increased life expectancy, are cited as reasons to raise the senior age, the issue remains complex, particularly in terms of income inequality. A study by Yoon Seok-jun, a professor at Korea University, revealed a stark disparity in healthy life expectancy: those in the lowest income group had a healthy life expectancy of 66.22 years, 8.66 years shorter than the highest income group.

Raising the senior age may be unavoidable, but it must not be treated merely as a fiscal strategy. A report from the National Assembly Budget Office in January estimated that raising the senior age to 70 could save the government 6.8 trillion won annually in basic pension costs. However, these savings must be reinvested to strengthen the social safety net for low-income seniors, who currently face the highest elderly poverty rate in OECD countries, at 38%.