Elderly People Living Alone: What Should be Done to Ensure Living with Peace of Mind until the End?

Editorial

15:41 JST, December 30, 2025

An increasing number of elderly people are living alone, without relatives or acquaintances to rely on in times of need. The central and local governments should establish systems to support these individuals’ livelihood during the final stages of their lives and help with procedures that must be dealt with after their deaths.

According to an estimate by the central government, the number of households with a sole resident aged 65 or older rose from 7.37 million in 2020 to 8.15 million in 2025, There are projected to be over 10 million such households by 2040. This trend is perhaps driven by weakening ties with families or communities, as well as declining marriage rates and lower birth rates.

The number of “unclaimed bodies” — those with no one to collect them after death, forcing local governments to cremate the body — was estimated to have exceeded 40,000 in fiscal 2023. Assets transferred to the national treasury due to a lack of heirs reached a record high of about ¥130 billion in fiscal 2024.

Traditionally, families and relatives have handled support for the livelihood of older adults and taken the necessary procedures after their deaths. Given the growing number of elderly people living alone, the question of how to deal with those who have no relatives or acquaintances to rely on can be described as a new social challenge.

In their ordinary lives, many people need assistance in using welfare services, being admitted to the hospital, moving into welfare facilities and managing their finances, among other tasks. After death, there are various procedures that must be dealt with, such as funerals, burials and inheritance.

Consequently, an expert panel of the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry in December compiled a report that proposes creating a new system to support elderly people who live alone.

Under the new system, local welfare organizations and other entities would take care of tasks after a death, such as the funeral, as well as vouch for elderly people’s identity when they are admitted to a hospital or move into a nursing home. Although the individual would bear the costs, in principle, they would be allowed to use the system for free or at low cost if facing financial hardship.

It is hoped that this system will be user-friendly, allowing single seniors to live their later years with peace of mind.

It is crucial for local governments to identify on a regular basis where and how many people require support. To that end, they should strengthen cooperation with social welfare workers, welfare organizations, neighborhood community associations and other people who interact with local seniors on a daily basis.

Some people, before their death, conclude funeral and burial contracts or entrust agents with carrying out the procedures that must be performed after their death. Some people no doubt wish to leave a will specifying how their remaining assets should be used.

Recently, there has been a growing movement of local governments to introduce experts and service providers to such people. It is vital for elderly people not to bear their burdens alone, but to effectively use such systems.

Older adults living alone should also consider the kind of support they will need and how they wish to reach the end of their lives, and consult the relevant departments at their local governments or other resources about these matters early on. It also would be effective to write down their current thoughts and posthumous wishes in a “farewell note.”

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Dec. 30, 2025)