No, that totally tracks. You know I was over there for some years, and my older relatives were living alone and totally fine. They would even ride their motor scooters to the mahjongg parlor every day and hangout with their friends as you said, well into their 80s. I cannot say as much for all of my relatives in the US.GaijinPunch wrote:We know that Covid indiscriminately targeted the obese, and Japan just doesn't have that demographic in large numbers. Elderly of course, are everywhere, but I'll go out on a limb and say they're generally healthier than our elderly (eg many carying for themselves well into their 80s) and the population in general had absolutely zero qualms about masking up.
I was thinking about it yesterday, and I think it's down to a generally better attitude around health and in healthcare than we have in the US. The fact that they have basically free health care as a retired person is huge, and the single payer thing makes it so everyone can afford to take care of themselves.