Japan is facing a care crisis unlike anything any other industrialized country has experienced.The population is aging rapidly, skilled workers are in short supply, and thousands of people with dementia go missing every year, often found only much later.Dementia costs could reach around 14 trillion yen (90 billion USD) by 2030.
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🧩 GPS as a lifesaver: More than 18,000 people with dementia go missing in Japan each year. Hundreds are later found dead. Municipalities hand out GPS tags that trigger an alarm as soon as someone leaves a safe zone.
🧠 AI diagnostics in everyday life: A new Fujitsu system analyzes posture and gait in at-risk groups. Small changes that are easy to miss can signal early-stage dementia. Doctors receive a visual movement profile that allows earlier intervention.
🦾 Robots that support care: Universities are testing care robots that turn people, provide support or assist with dressing. The goal is to relieve caregivers of the most physically demanding tasks.
Mini robots against loneliness: Devices like Poketomo remind users to take medication, chat with them and offer simple daily tips. They are designed to support isolated seniors in everyday life.
Japan is not alone – Asia’s aging challenge
- China is struggling with a shrinking population, falling birth rates and rising healthcare costs. The one-child policy still shapes demographics: fewer young people must support more elderly.
- South Korea has the lowest birth rate in the world and is aging even faster than Japan.
👉🏻 The Philippines, by contrast, has the highest birth rate among major Asian countries. The country remains young, growing and is viewed as a potential future stabilizer for the region’s labor market.
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