His secret: a bendable exoskeleton hugging his waist and thighs, with sensors attached to his skin. The sensors detect when Mr. Saito’s muscles start to move and direct the machine to support his motion, cutting his load’s effective weight by 18 pounds. “I can carry as much as I did 10 years ago,†says the hard-hatted Mr. Saito.
Mr. Saito is part of an experiment by Obayashi Corp., the construction giant handling the building project, to confront one of the biggest problems facing the company and the country: a chronic labor shortage resulting from a rapidly aging population. The exoskeleton has allowed Mr. Saito to extend his working life—and Obayashi to keep building.
Japan’s ability to craft a successful aging strategy has global implications, since other nations will soon follow its path. The United Nations projects that by 2050, 32 countries will have a greater share of senior citizens than Japan does now.
Some Japanese see opportunity to cash in as aging front-runners, just as earlier generations exported world-beating cars and electronics honed first at home.
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