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DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH NEWS
system by the year 2010, Japan, however, is currently implementing some reforms in its pension funds program which might, in the future, affect the amount of pensions received by Japanese retirees. Notwithstanding this, the fact remains though that the Japanese pension—at an average of US$1,800 per month—is one of the highest in the world. And staying abroad where the cost of living is relatively cheaper will certainly take such amount ( or an even lesser amount if affected by the planned reforms in the Japanese pension fund system) quite far. In terms of family relationship, the trend for the Japanese elderly to remain living together with their children, albeit still extremely high compared to other countries, is waning, as seen in the decline in the ratio of living together, from 68 percent in 1975 to about 55 percent in the 1990s. Other factors also influence the Japanese elderly’s choice of destination: familiarity with the foreign country, peace and order situation as well as cost of living in the destination country, distance from Japan, English-speaking population, and natural beauty of the foreign country.
The preferred activities of this market are trips that allow them to have a pleasant time and enjoy the natural scenery. Historical and architectural tours are also popular. Meanwhile, for those aged 55-64 years, ecological tours have also proven to be attractive since these are the individuals who are still relatively strong enough to bear the physical strain involved in such tours. Cost of medical care and long-term care services By nature, older people are more prone to sickness and thus require regular medical check-ups or special medical attention. The cost of living and medical care in Japan is one of
November - December 2003
graphic and economic changes that are shaping. Given this scenario, foreign destinations have begun to develop their domestic markets to entice the Japanese retirees to choose them as their retirement havens. The regional offers How do countries like Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia try to woo the Japanese elderly market? What programs have they launched? Below is an overview of the efforts in these countries to boost their retirement and medical tourism industry.
Table 2. Factors affecting Japanese retirees’ choice of retirement location Safety Natural beauty Promptness Conducive environment Friendliness of local population to the Japanese Others (not specified) Source: Tourism Authority of Thailand
In a study by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), safety and security ranks first in the elderly’s choice of a foreign place to stay, followed by availability of medical services, language consideration, and beauty of the place (Table 2).
the highest in the world. As such, for the elderly who usually depend on monthly pensions for their upkeep, it is but natural for them to seek for more affordable medical care and services. Often, this may be found overseas, especially in Asian countries like Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines, where medical care is less costly and where the Japanese retiree’s pensions may go a long way.
The increase in the number of Japanese elderly tourists in various foreign country destinations has given rise to certain kinds of products and services being packaged and offered in these countries. Many offer activities that involve walking, hiking, cultural activities and nature.
Moreover, as noted earlier, the ratio of living together among Japanese families, though still very high, has been waning through the years. The basic Japanese belief that children— especially women—should take care of their aged parents is beginning to take a back seat given the demo-
Singapore Singapore was the only country in the region in the past known for its 40.2% state-of-the-art hospitals. 12.9% An estimated 150,000 foreign patients sought 7.9% treatment in Singapore 7.6% in 2000 and spent about 7.4% S$345 million a year in 24.0% healthcare expenditure. However, regional competition has intensified with the aggressive marketing of Thailand as an alternative and cheaper destination for medical tourism. To counter this, Singapore has packaged its image as a destination that has set high standards for quality healthcare. It plans to lead over its competitors in terms of medical expertise rather than just price. It also aims to establish one-stop centers in key regional markets to make it more convenient for patients to go to Singapore. Thailand After its successful Visit Thailand Year tourism campaign in 1997, Thailand’s tourist arrivals zoomed and its products became very popular. However, Thailand was not able