Medically Speaking, 90 is the 'Natural Span of Life'

The average life expectancy of Japanese people has increased, making Japan the longest-living country in the world. We are undoubtedly entering an era of 90-year lifespans. If you are around 50 years old now and in reasonably good health, then medically speaking, 90 years is considered the 'natural span of life'.
A natural death is one where you pass away peacefully in your sleep one morning, after a pleasant evening chatting with your family. In other words, it's the ideal death everyone wishes for.

I heard directly from a professor at a medical university who specializes in geriatric diseases, a friend of mine. He said that while living to 90 might not be possible for everyone, living to 80 or 85 will become less difficult.

Therefore, it is essential to understand the framework and mindset for lifelong planning, considering the increasingly aging society. If we had to summarize the most important point, it would be: 'Life's real beginning is after 50.'

Up to Age 50: 'Life's Preparation Period'

We grow from birth through infancy, childhood, and adolescence. Until around age 24 or 25, we are, in a sense, unable to live without our parents' support. It's a period where we grew up relying on them. Until university graduation, we were entirely dependent on our parents. Some young people speak as if they became adults on their own, but I believe they misunderstand the reality.

Of course, there are diligent young boys and girls who start working to support their families from around age 16, after finishing compulsory middle school education. However, they are a small minority. Most men marry between the ages of 25 and 30. Once they establish their own households, they must live by their own responsibilities.

Even if you reach 50, the period you have lived under your own responsibility is at most 20 years, or 25 years at the longest. However, from age 50 onwards, you must live for 30 to 35 years under your own responsibility.

After 50: 'Life's Main Act' Begins

In other words, the period of living under your own responsibility from age 50 onwards is 10 to 15 years longer than the period before 50. Therefore, I define and assert that 'life's main act' begins after 50.
It is a fact that this resonates with many people. In your late 50s or mid-60s, you cannot afford to say you are getting old and act like an elderly person.

For example, have you ever considered what would happen if you retired at 60?
You would face a long, long period of living as if 'every day is Sunday' for the next 20 to 25 years or more.

Some retirees jokingly refer to themselves as 'oversized trash,' but they seem unaware of their profound misunderstanding. Oversized trash can simply be discarded, but it's not that simple for us living beings with consciousness.

Money for Living

Nowadays, most families have only one or two children. If your only daughter gets married and moves away, or your only son marries and is transferred, the remaining parents are effectively in a situation similar to a childless elderly couple.
It could lead to a situation where four parents are vying for the attention of one son or daughter.

Furthermore, you must prepare a considerable amount of money to live for over 30 years beyond 50, which is 'life's main act.'
We often see or hear pleasant phrases like 'design a rosy future' or 'a rich and fulfilling retirement,' but when it comes to finances, I don't believe it's that fantastical.

Organizing your own (household) finances is the starting point of 'economics.' I want people to learn the importance of clearly defining and navigating their own lives without wavering.