Over 10% of Japan elderly to have no close kin in 2050: research

The number of people aged 65 and over in Japan with no close relatives is expected to grow about 1.5 times in 2050 to make up over 10 percent of the elderly population, estimates by a research firm have found.Those without kin up to the third degree, including great grandchildren and great nieces or nephews, would total 4.48 million, the Japan Research Institute said, sparking concerns over who will act as their guarantors for hospitals and care homes and who will claim their bodies.As fewer marry in the aging country, the number of people aged 65 and over with no relatives within the third…READ FULL ARTICLE