Elderly Women to Bear the Brunt of Japan's Spending Cuts
- Japan wrestles with growing debt amid rapidly aging population
- The nation’s safety net falls apart as more elderly live alone
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As Japanese society ages and the government cuts social welfare spending, older women are bracing for the impact.
“The only people who can enjoy living until 100 are those who have enough money and family,” said Setsuko Betsui, a 78-year-old woman living in Saitama, who gets by on 120,000 yen ($1,077) a month in benefits. ”I’d rather die in two years."