Tokyo: 'Yakult girls' in Japan are not just delivery women; they are like caregivers who look after the well-being of elderly people living alone.
According to Thai News Agency, Japan is one of the fastest aging societies in the world. Currently, nearly 30 percent of its population is over 65 years old, and data from the National Institute of Population and Social Security Research in Japan predicts that by 2050, the number of elderly people over 65 living alone will increase to almost 11 million.
With modern Japanese families becoming smaller, the number of large families with grandparents living with grandchildren is decreasing. This means there are more elderly people living alone, many of whom are poor and lack social support. The resulting problems include loneliness, and even worse, in the event of an emergency in a home where an elderly person lives alone, there may be no one aware of the situation, making timely assistance impossible. This can lead to cases of deaths at home, some of which may take months or even years to become known.
This is considered a national problem, to the point that in 2021, the Japanese government appointed its first Minister of Loneliness to combat the crisis of loneliness and isolation. Meanwhile, data from the Japanese National Police Agency indicates that between January and June 2025, there were 40,913 deaths from people living alone, an increase of 3,686 compared to the same period the previous year.
But heroes who uphold justice don't always need to wear capes. In this case, it's the young women in uniforms who deliver yogurt drinks to homes, commonly known as 'Yakult girls.' While their actual job is simply delivery personnel, in practice they form a large network that cares for the well-being of elderly people living alone. For some of the elderly, they are like companions, waiting for daily visits and conversations.
Yakult originated in Japan more than 90 years ago. Today, the team of over 31,000 Yakult saleswomen nationwide is as important to the brand as the product itself. Wherever they go, people recognize them instantly. They deliver Yakult to residential areas using bicycles, motorcycles, cars, or sometimes even on foot. Some Yakult saleswomen have been working for decades, and meeting the same customers for so long has fostered a strong sense of familiarity and connection.
Each time a Yakult delivery woman visits an elderly person's home, they get to chat with her. Even if it's just small, everyday things, knowing that someone visits them at least every day is enough to boost their spirits and make them feel less lonely. In short, Yakult contributes to the physical and mental well-being of the elderly.
From the perspective of the Yakult saleswomen, if they notice even a slight change in the same customer they see every day, such as someone ringing the doorbell and no one answers, they might sense something is wrong and take action to prevent a negative outcome. Furthermore, receiving kind words from customers can also boost the morale of Yakult saleswomen on tiring days.
This Yakult girl model is used in many other countries, each of which may have a different name for her. But no matter what they are called, the smile, the care, and the positive energy they provide to customers remain unchanged, because Yakult cares not only for the intestines, but also for the hearts of people.