Nearly 40,000 People Found Dead Alone in Japan Homes in Early 2024, Report Reveals
A recent report by Japan’s National Police Agency reveals that nearly 40,000 individuals died alone in their homes during the first half of 2024. Among these cases, nearly 4,000 bodies were discovered more than a month after death, with 130 remaining undiscovered for at least a year.
Japan, currently home to the world’s oldest population according to the United Nations, is grappling with a significant rise in solitary deaths among its aging citizens. The report highlights that over 70% of those who died alone were aged 65 and older.
The dataset shows that 37,227 people living alone were found deceased in their homes, with a significant number—7,498—being aged 85 and older. The next largest groups were those aged 75-79 (5,920) and 70-74 (5,635).
The findings, expected to be reviewed by a government group addressing unattended deaths, underscore Japan’s growing issue with loneliness and isolation among its elderly. The National Institute of Population and Social Security Research projects that by 2050, the number of elderly individuals living alone will reach 10.8 million, with single-person households estimated to total 23.3 million.
In response to this crisis, the Japanese government introduced a bill earlier this year aimed at addressing the country’s long-standing issues with isolation. This demographic shift poses a severe challenge as Japan struggles to balance its declining birth rate with the needs of its aging population.
