Forever Young - Growing and Expanding an Anti-Aging Business
“Unbelievable! You look so young and great!”
This is something that many women and men want to hear. Staying forever young is the dream of everyone, especially in an aging society like Japan.
Japan is undoubtedly becoming an aging society. According to a white paper on the aging society by the Cabinet Office in 2006, the number of Japanese aged 65 and older in 2005 for the first time reached 20% of the total population. The government also estimates that the senior population will reach 25% of the total population in 2025.
Under the present circumstances there has been growing interest and a need for anti-aging products among Japanese. TheJapanese government estimates that the market for health foods and health nutrients such as foods with health promoting benefits, food with nutrient function claims, health supplements, and specified health foods will increased to 3.2 trillion yen by 2010 from 1.3 trillion yen in 2001 (source: 2002, Outline for Government’s strategy in biotechnology).
INSIGHTS OUT – What’s Booming for Anti-Aging
1. Cosmetic surgery for youthful appearance
Cosmetic surgery such as wrinkle removals and procedures for diminishing dark spots has become especially popular among Japanese women. Some of the most popular anti-aging treatments at cosmetic surgery clinics include Botox treatment, removing sagging skin and diminishing aging spots on the skin. Cosmetic surgeries, which used to be socially forbidden, have become more widely accepted in Japanese society.
2. Brain exercise to prevent mental aging
‘Brain exercise’ is a popular exercise to prevent age-related memory loss or dementia. ‘Brain Training (Nintendo DS)’, which was released in 2005, is still a very popular software in the Japanese market. There are similar brain training games and exercises on websites, and there are also many books for brain exercises.
3. Proper diet and exercise to slow physical and mental aging
Eating properly and exercising are popular approaches taken to prevent mental and physical aging. There are many books and TV programs covering diet regimen to help slow down aging. Regional communities also promote diet regimen at cooking exercises or seminars. In terms of exercising, fitness gyms and regional communities offer various training programs for senior citizens that can help their physical well-being.
There seems to be much in the way of untapped business opportunities for anti-aging in Japan. Anti-aging businesses do not have to limit their customer base to older people alone; even people who are in their 30s and 40s who a starting to become concerned about aging in the future can be targeted.
February 22 2008 09:52 am | Health Care
