Japanese older people are not willing to live long: Culturally distinctive meaning attached to longevity

Using the stereotype embodiment theory as a framework, we investigated older Japanese people’s willingness/unwillingness to live to 100 and the reasons they gave for their responses. We performed a multiple logistic regression and a thematic content analysis using data from 451 communi­ty-dwelling older people (ages 77 to 81). 28.2% of respondents wished to live to 100, whereas 71.8% expressed unwillingness to do so. Being male predicts a greater willingness to live to 100. Respondents who perceive longevity negatively tend to believe that their longevity will place a bur­den on family members. Nursing care is needed to some extent as we age. Research outside Japan often reports that the maximal extension of health and independence encourages people to see aging positively. In contrast, creating a system and culture in which nursing care does not burden fam­ily members helps Japanese people to consider aging positively.