The Introduction of the Special Issue: Asian Perspectives on Active Aging: Meaning, Purpose and Hope

ABSTRACT

Looking forward, as Japan faces increasing financial challenges approaching the norm of 100-year life, the authors note the emergence of a recrafting of the active aging motif to shogai gen’eki, encouraging older adults to remain productive with continued employment, suggesting the significance of remaining useful for a sustainable society. Besides a macro socio-historical review, the article also included a microanalysis of one case study of the development of senior clubs and senior colleges in a Japanese city, and a brief overview of the U.S. experience for comparative insights of active aging initiatives in Japan. [...]it should be noted that in Japanese literature, active aging programs are more widely known as programs to promote ikigai (life purpose). [...]the papers selected for this Special Issue have contributed towards the stock of knowledge that exists on how active aging is conceptualized and expressed in the region.