For more than a decade, JCIE has been a leader in policy research and dialogue in the health sector through its Global Health and Human Security Program. As an extension of this, we began looking at the critical impact of aging on Japanese and other societies. Rapid population aging is one of the key challenges faced not only by Japan but by an increasing number of ASEAN and East Asian countries. Countries are at different stages in the demographic shift, Japan being the most advanced, but others like the Korea, China, and Thailand are not far behind. And as life expectancy improves in the coming decades, many more countries will also be joining the ranks of aging societies, placing strains on health systems and having a significant mid- to long-term impact on the region’s economies.

In 2017, we launched a new program on Healthy and Active Aging in Asia, to be carried out in cooperation with the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) and in close consultation with the government of Japan’s Asia Health and Wellbeing Initiative (AHWIN). The program promotes bilateral and regional cooperation on aging in Asia by disseminating information on trends, policies, and best practices; deepening international networks among aging experts; and educating leaders on effective responses to the shared challenges and opportunities that aging populations present.

KEY INITIATIVES

AHWIN Website Development and Management

Dialogues on Healthy Aging in Asia (see news below)

Healthy Aging Prize for Asian Innovation