One in four Japanese companies allow their employees to stay on the job at least until age 70, reports NHK World Japan, citing survey research from the country’s labour ministry. The poll asked 230,000 firms with 21 or more workers about policies concerning older employees. The survey was conducted in June last year. While 25.6% of the companies had introduced systems enabling employees to continue working until 70 or older, nearly 20% of all the firms allow workers to stay on past their designed retirement ages. Meanwhile, 4% abolished retirement altogether and approximately 2% raised their working-age limits. A law enacted April last year requires companies to do what they can to keep their workers on the payroll until age 70 amid the country’s labour shortage.