The National Minimum for the Aged with a Focus on the Public Pension

Abstract

This paper examines whether Japan’s social protections for the aged are adequate, and whether or not they merit being called a “national minimum”. The 2007 Revision of the Minimum Wage Law was intended to raise regional minimum wage levels above those of public assistance. On the other hand, public pensions, which should function as a national minimum for the aged, have not been yet adjusted. Existing research has mainly comparatively analyzed the levels of payments of public Livelihood Assistance and the Basic Pension. But most pensioners, even those who are concurrently public assistance recipients, are actually receiving not only the Basic Pension but also a graduated pension. However, health insurance, elder care and housing support are also necessary policies, along with the income protection and the public pension included in social protections for the aged. Therefore I will examine the degree of sufficiency of Japanese social protections for the aged, comparing public pensions and other social protection policies with minimum stand­ards.