Japanese Minister asks the elders “to hurry to die”

January 23, 2013
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Japanese Finance Minister Taro Aso blamed the elderly for high levels of health spending and asked them “to hurry to die.”

At a meeting of the National Social Security Council, the minister said that the elderly “are forced to live where they want to die,” adding “I would wake up feeling bad if I know that the treatment is paid by the government.”

Taro Aso made the remarks while attacking tactics resuscitation and life-prolonging treatments, as published by the British newspaper “The Guardian”.

These remarks came on Monday, and then had to rectify describing his words as “inadequate” and said afterward that “it is important that people can spend the last days of their life in peace.”

Minister Aso’s words have had a major impact on the Japanese country, where 25% of the population is above 60 years old.

The funny thing is that the minister has 72, and Japan is the oldest country in the world with major pension and health costs.