Is There a 'Japanese-Type Welfare Society'?

Abstract

In the late 1970s 'the Japanese-type welfare society' was proposed by the ruling party of Japan, the Liberal Democratic Party. This paper examines the background and content of this proposal. Without being enthusiastically committed to the 'welfare state', Japan, under continued rule by the LDP since 1955, has developed social security institutions in an ad hoc way keeping pace with the growth of the economy. However, facing the prospect of an unprecedented rapid aging of the population, Japan has to find a way to balance the cost of social security with an increase in the needs for it. The LDP's answer to that was 'the Japanese-type welfare society' However, it has been found that there is no easy answer to the problem. It has been noted in recent years that there is less talk of the 'Japanese type' and more introduction of concrete measures.