Sep 16 (Japan Times) - Japan looks set to face a shortage of 960,000 medical and welfare service workers in 2040, when the country’s elderly population is expected to peak, according to an annual welfare ministry report released Friday.
While 10.7 million such workers are projected to be necessary in 2040, only 9.74 million will be available, according to the 2022 white paper on health, labor and welfare, reported at the day’s Cabinet meeting.
The number of workers in the medical and welfare sectors has increased thanks to measures such as temporarily raising the enrollment limit at medical schools and nurturing nursing staff.
In 2021, 8.91 million people, or about 1 in 8 workers in Japan, were engaged in medical and welfare services. ...continue reading