More than a quarter of people in Japan are over 65. Combined with an extremely low birth rate, Japan’s seniors are an increasingly dominant demographic, and numerous companies are now looking to help the country save on health costs by getting the aged to exercise both mind and body.

A bit of lipstick can do wonders for your self-esteem, but it seems applying cosmetics can have a whole extra set of therapeutic benefits for Japan’s elderly. Studies have found that putting on make-up can slow the progress of dementia by helping sufferers keep their brains active.

While the immediate future is unlikely to yield AI pseudo-human carers, the notion of robots aiding the elderly is closer than ever. All over the world – especially in Japan, where more than a quarter of the population is over 65 – technology and healthcare are starting to overlap.

More than 25% of the Japanese population is over the age of 65. With a low birthrate and increasing life expectancy, that figure is only set to increase. Japan is renowned for its respectful and traditionally regimented attitudes towards seniors, but what does it really mean to be ageing now, in the world’s oldest population?