Aging society in Japan stifles nation's growth
"We all said, `We won't get anything, so we aren't paying,"' says Mr. Hamada, a budding rock drummer. "The image of the pension system is that it's just throwing money away." He was startled recently to discover that his mother was paying on his behalf, and told her it was a waste.
Such pension rebels are increasing every year. Among self-employed Japanese, who must make their own pension payments, 29 percent didn't pay their pension premiums in 2001, compared with just 17 percent in 1996. Among those aged 20 to 24, 46 percent, didn't pay up.
-- 2/11/03 8:49 AM / The Wall Street Journal