The purpose of this study is to present our elderly welfare policy and welfare facilities for the elderly and to propose the future direction of policy for the elderly with comparison to that of Japan. The comparative study results of Korea and Japan are as follows: As the basis of elderly welfare, care insurance for the elderly is now fixated in the two countries. On the other hand, for quantitative expansion in Korea, the quality level has been gone down. Due to qualitative evaluation, the growth of facilities has slowed and material welfare providers was also a decline in the number of operators. Two countries in the field of community welfare in recent years has been actively promoting. It is the most important to solve the social welfare problem with local councils who know the area, which is a part of the future to focus and to support. Due to huge construction investment of facility, there is the burden of operators. This facility is appropriate for an extension of the home. However, it is in the hard economic times. Until now, the number of people in a room is at least four according to the legal standard of Korea, there are a few private rooms. On the other hand, in Japan, unit-care was phased since 2002 and private rooms have been expanded. In Japan, health center for the elderly plays an important role with special elderly nursing home among facilities for the elderly. Health center provides services that are recovering, nursing, and caring to support independence for the elderly after acute phase of treatment. As treatment and care, the aim of health center is to return the elderly to home. On the other hand, there are a few health centers for returning the elderly to home in Korea. Furthermore, in Japan, a project for preventive care has been begun. The project is needed in Korea.