Gadgets for grown-ups next big thing in greying Japan

0 Comments | AFP, June, 2008

TOKYO (AFP) — Toys are no longer just child's play in Japan, where an ageing population and expanding waistlines have spawned a wave of gadgets to help adults beat stress, battle the bulge or relieve loneliness.

From exercise assistants to dancing robots and nodding potted plants, Japanese toymakers are increasingly turning their attention to grown-ups as a growing market to make up for flagging sales to kids.

The shift comes amid increased efforts to get people into shape in a country where more than one fifth of the population is aged 65 or older, a percentage expected to rise to 40.5 percent in 2055, according to the government.

"Toy companies are increasingly focusing more on toys for adults due to health worries but also lonelier people as there are...