recentlyAccording to Nikkei Shimbun, the United Nations estimates the working age population of Southeast Asian countriesproportionstayReaching a peak of 68% in 2023,And willtotwo thousand and twenty-fourStarting from the beginning of the year, it will be reduced.

Thailand and Vietnam respectivelyPopulation of working age reached in 2013 and 2014proportionPeak.in additionIndonesia, the fourth most populous country in the world, will also bePopulation crossing working age by 2030proportionPeak. This means that major Southeast Asian countriessoonLosing the demographic dividend will lead to an era of insufficient labor force to drive economic development.

Data display,In 2019, the population aged 65 and above in Southeast AsiaproportionBreakthrough has been made7% has reached the threshold of an aging society. It is expected that by 2043, thisproportionWill reach14%, pushing Southeast Asia towards an "elderly society". If Southeast Asian countries are troubled by a decrease in labor force, then the hope of Southeast Asia leading the world alongside China and India will also face challenges.

United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the PacificJanuary 2024Published《The 2023 Asia Pacific Population and Development Report points out that although the Asia Pacific region has made significant progress in socio-economic development, it also faces major challenges. Countries must take immediate action to address emerging population trends such as aging populations, low fertility rates, and rising immigration numbers.

But many Southeast Asian countries are not adequately prepared for the elderly population, with low public pension coverage and a lack of comprehensive elderly care plans. Nikkei Asia reported that currently only a quarter of the working age population in Southeast Asia can receive national pensions, far lower than the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development（87% average level of OECD.

The demographic changes in Southeast Asia will also have a profound impact on overseas markets. Taking Japan as an example, Vietnam is the largest source of foreign labor in Japan, as ofIn October 2023, there were approximately 520000 Vietnamese working in Japan. There are 230000 Filipinos employed in Japan. "If Southeast Asian countries themselves face labor shortages, they will be unable to send labor to Japan," said Kumaga Kato, an economics professor at Meiji University in Japan

Even if the retirement age has been raised to70 year old Japan is currently facing financial pressure due to an aging population. In the early 1990s, when the working age population reached its peak, Japan's social welfare expenditure accounted for 11% of its gross domestic product. 30 years later, it has now risen to 25%. The report suggests that it is necessary for Southeast Asian countries to emulate Japan in order to raise the retirement age and solve the labor problem.