Human Dignity Questioned in the Coming “100-Year Life Era”

Close up Japan | 「人生100年時代」の到来で問われる人の尊厳

Human Dignity Questioned in the Coming “100-Year Life Era”

Japan is a country of longevity. According to the latest WHO ranking, Japan ranks among the top in the world in terms of average life expectancy. As life expectancy increases in developed countries, the “100-year life era” has become a hot topic. Recent years have seen remarkable technological advances in medicine and science, with rejuvenation techniques that revive the body at the cellular level emerging. In the beauty industry, the mainstream has shifted from anti-aging to reverse aging, and recently, research on “immortality” has gone even further. On the other hand, there are those who seek euthanasia from the suffering of illness. And there are those who support death with dignity from perspectives such as caregiving and pension issues. In the “100-year life era,” there will be virtually no retirement age and a future in which people may be forced to work on a semi-permanent basis. In addition, the pursuit of looking young can lead to impatience and obsession, which can lead to mental exhaustion and a distorted sense of beauty. As the world moves toward the “100-year life era,” some say that healthy life expectancy is more important than longevity. The question now is how each of us will live and die. Everyone has the right to make their own choices in determining this. ( From September issue, 2023 / 2023年9月号より)

ほん
nihonn ha
Japan
ちょう寿じゅたいこく
chouju’taikoku
a country of longevity
です。
desu.
is
へいきん寿じゅみょう
heikinn’jumyou ha
(in terms of) average life expectancy
WHOの
daburyu-eichio- no
WHO
さいしんランキング
saishinn’rannkinngu
the latest ranking
de
according to
かいトップクラス。
sekai toppu kurasu
(Japan) ranks among the top in the world
せんしんしょこく
sennshinn’shokoku
developed countries
では
deha
in
ちょう寿じゅすすみ、
chouju’ka ga susu mi,
as life expectancy increases
じんせい100ねんだい」が
“jinnsei hyaku nenn jidai” ga
the one-hundred-year life era
だい
wadai ni
a hot topic
なっています。
natte i masu
has become
きんねん
kinnnenn no
recent years
りょう
iryou,
medicine
がく
kagaku
(and) science
no
in
じゅつしん
gijutsu’shinnpo ha
technological advances
ましく、
mezamashiku,
have seen remarkable
にくたい
nikutai wo
the body
さいぼうレベル
saibou’reberu
the cellular level
de
at
よみがえらせる
yomigaeraseru
that revive
わかがえじゅつ
wakagaeri’gijutsu mo
(with) rejuvenation techniques
とうじょうしています。
toujou shite i masu.
emerging
ようぎょうかい
biyou’gyoukai
the beauty industry
でも、
demo,
in
しゅりゅう
shuryuu ha
the mainstream
アンチエイジング
annchi’eijinngu
anti-aging
から
kara
from
リバースエイジング
riba-su’eijinngu
reverse aging
ni
to
なり、
nari,
has shifted and
さっこんでは
sakkonn deha
recently
ろう
furou’fushi”
immortality
no
on
けんきゅう
kennkyuu mo
research
さらにすすんでいます。
sara ni susunnde i masu.
has gone even further
いっぽうで、
ippou de,
on the other hand
やまい
yamai
illness
no
of
くるしみ
kurushimi
the suffering
から
kara
from
あんらく
annraku’shi wo
euthanasia
もとめる
motomeru
who seek
ひと
hito mo
those
います。
i masu.
there are
そして、
soshite,
and
かい
kaigo
caregiving
ya
and
ねんきんもんだい
nennkinn’monndai
pension issues
などの
nado no
such as
てん
shitenn
perspectives
から
kara
from
そんげん
sonngenn’shi wo
death with dignity
する
shiji suru
who support
ひと
hito mo
those
います。
i masu.
there are
じんせい100ねんだい
“jinnsei hyaku nenn jidai”
the one-hundred-year life era
では
deha
in
じっしつじょう
jisshitsu’jou,
virtually
ていねんがなくなるため、
teinenn ga naku naru tame,
no retirement age and
はんえいきゅうてき
hann’eikyuu’teki na
on a semi-permanent basis
ろうどう
roudou wo
to work
なくされる
yogi naku sareru
(in which people) may be forced
らい
mirai ga
a future
っているかもしれません。
matte iru kamo shire masenn
there will be
また、
mata,
in addition
mitame no
looking
わか
wakasa
young
no
of
ついきゅう
tsuikyuu ha
the pursuit
しょうそうかん
shousou’kann
impatience
ya
and
しゅうちゃくしん
shuuchaku’shinn
obsession
wo
to
あおり、
aori,
can lead which
こころ
kokoro no
mental
へい
hihei
exhaustion
ya
and
ゆがんだ
yugannda
distorted
しき
bi’ishiki
a sense of beauty
wo
to
してしまうのうせいがあります。
umidashite shimau kanou’sei ga ari masu.
can lead
かい
sekai ga
the world
じんせい100ねんだい
“jinnsei hyaku nenn jidai”
the one-hundred-year life era
ni
toward
かう
mukau
moves
なか
naka,
as
ちょう寿じゅ
chouju
longevity
よりも
yori mo
than
けんこう寿じゅみょうほう
kennkou’jumyou no hou ga
healthy life expectancy
たいせつ
taisetsu
more important
da
is
という
to iu
that
こえもあります。
koe mo ari masu
some say
いま
ima,
now
わたしたち
watashi tachi
us
ひとひとりが
hitori hitori ga
each of
どのように
dono you ni
how
き、
iki,
will live and
んでいくかが
shinnde iku ka ga
die
われています。
towarete i masu.
the question is
それを
sore wo
this
める
kimeru
in determining
せんたくけん
senntaku’kenn ha
the right to make their choices
だれもが
dare mo ga
everyone
それぞれ
sorezore
own
っているのです。
motte iru no desu.
has

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