In June there was an outcry when the Financial Services Agency submitted an estimate to the Cabinet. It stated that citizens would not be able to cover their living costs on the public pension, with married couples living up until the age of 95 experiencing a shortfall of 20 million yen. In Japan, citizens pay a monthly fee towards their pension in accordance with their income, with pension payments starting at the age of 65. Anyone under 60 residing in Japan for over 20 years is required to pay into this fund. This includes non-Japanese citizens. The amount you receive depends on the type of your pension, period and amount you’ve paid into it. Those non-Japanese who have paid into the fund for more than six months are able to apply for the lump-sum withdrawal payments. However, as the trend towards an aged society progresses, more and more people are receiving pensions each year, while the birthrate and working population continues to decrease. At present 28% of the total population is elderly. The pension system began in 1961, when the structure of the population resembled a pyramid. In the beginning, eight workers supported one elderly person. However, 2.2 workers now support one elderly person, and it is said that this number will fall to 1.9 workers by 2025. The amount of pension received is gradually decreasing. Therefore, many young people feel uneasy, speculating that they might not get anything. Many people are demanding improvements to the pension system, stating that only a few people are able to save an extra 20 million yen for their retirements.