ABSTRACT
Occupational or employer pensions in the United States and Japan are changing rapidly in response to the aging of national populations, modifications in social security systems, changes in the economic environment, and the introduction of new government regulations. Japan is among the most rapidly aging countries in the world. The rapid aging of the Japanese population is due to extremely low fertility rates and a life expectancy that is among the highest in the world. The population age structure of the United States has been dominated by the baby boom cohort born between 1946 and 1965. Initially, this cohort dramatically affect the school age population. The aging of the populations in the United States and Japan will increase the ratio of retirees to workers and necessitate changes in compensation and retirement policies of firms and will alter national social security policies.
