PRESS RELEASES

ASEAN Japan Active Aging Regional Conference

26 June 2014

   On 20 June, “ASEAN Japan Active Aging Regional Conference” was co-hosted in Jakarta by Mission of Japan to ASEAN; the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan; ASEAN Secretariat; Japan International Cooperation Agency and Toyota Foundation with the theme of “Collaboration between health and welfare sector”. The conference was a part of the strengthening of Japan-ASEAN cooperation to tackle new challenges such as aging population, which is stipulated in “The Vision Statement on ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation” adopted during the ASEAN-Japan Commemorative Summit Meeting held in December 2013.

   The total number of participants to the conference was approximately 130, and it included Mr. Larry Maramis, Director, Cross-Sectoral Cooperation Directorate of ASEC; Mr. Ken Aoo, Group Leader/Program Officer, Group for International Grants, Toyota Foundation; Dr. Yutaka Horie, Deputy Assistant Minister for International Affairs, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan; Mr. Koichi Aiboshi, Ambassador of Japan to ASEAN; members of Committee of Permanent Representatives (CPR); representatives from ministries related to health and welfare, permanent missions, experts, medical personnel as well as private sector.

   In the opening remarks of the Ambassador Aiboshi, he stated that aging rates in some ASEAN Member States in coming years will be similar to or even higher than those of Japan’s past records. He was of the view that although there was no magic bullet or one-size-fits-all solution on this challenging matter, ASEAN Member States could draw some lessons from Japan’s experience.

   In the first session, after the opening remarks by the Ambassador of Japan to ASEAN and representatives of the ASEAN Secretariat and Toyota Foundation, Dr. Worawet Suwanrada, Dean of the College of Population Studies and Associate Professor of Faculty of Economics of Chulalongkorn University, Thailand, delivered a keynote speech on “Population Aging, Elderly Care and the Community-based Integrated Approach for Older Persons’ Long-term Care System”, Dr. Mu’man Nuryana, Senior Advisor to the Minister of Social Affairs and Expert of Staff on Social Impact Affairs, Ministry of Social Affairs, Indonesia, delivered a keynote speech on “Collaboration between Health and Welfare Sector to Promote Active Aging in ASEAN Region” and Dr. Wako Asato, Associate Professor of the Graduate School of Letters of Kyoto University, Japan, delivered a keynote speech on “Sustainability of elderly care and migration: Who cares?” and they exchanged views with participants on each theme.

   During the second session, Dr. Chanvit Tharathep, Deputy Permanent Secretary Ministry of Public Health of Thailand gave a presentation about “Multilateral cooperation on Active Aging”, while Dr. Tomofumi Sone, Director for Planning and Coordination, National Institute of Public Health, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan explained about “Primary and Secondary Prevention, Contribution from health sector for Active Aging”. Then panelists from Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam reported the current situation of collaboration between health and welfare to achieve active aging in each country and exchanged views on the theme.

   At the end, a document of recommendation was formulated as a result of the conference to report to the ASEAN related meeting on it.

List of materials in the ASEAN Japan Active Aging Regional Conference