Takamatsu, 26–28 October 2026: ERIA, in collaboration with Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW), Kagawa Prefecture, and Takamatsu City, co-hosted the 24th ASEAN–Japan High-Level Officials Meeting (AJHLOM) on Caring Societies in Takamatsu, Japan. The meeting brought together senior government officials and experts responsible for social welfare, health, and labour policies from ASEAN Member States (AMS), the Republic of Korea, and Japan.

Convened under the theme ‘Towards a Community-Based Inclusive Society: Through Inclusive Community Support and Community Development’, the 3-day meeting addressed the challenges and opportunities arising from demographic transitions, population ageing, and the needs of vulnerable groups. Discussions emphasised the importance of comprehensive, co-ordinated, and inclusive community support, community development, and responsive community-based social welfare systems in building more resilient and caring societies.

The opening session featured remarks from Mr Takashi Fujiwara of MHLW; H.E. San Lwin, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community, who delivered a video message on behalf of the ASEAN Secretariat; Mr Toyohito Ikeda, Governor of Kagawa Prefecture; and Mr Makoto Koizumi, Deputy Mayor of Takamatsu City. Mr Naoto Okura, ERIA Director General for Research and Policy Design, also delivered opening remarks, highlighting ERIA’s contributions to advancing the region’s social development agenda through research and policy initiatives on maternal mental health, population ageing, and active longevity.

Development partners, including the World Health Organization Regional Office for the Western Pacific, the International Labour Organization, the Japan International Cooperation Agency, the ASEAN Centre for Active Ageing and Innovation, and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), shared their initiatives and experiences in promoting community-based development, healthy and active ageing, and inclusive health, labour, and social policies across the region.

As part of the thematic panel discussions, ERIA co-organised Panel Session 4, titled ‘Integrated Maternal Mental Health Systems for an Inclusive Society’. The session underscored the growing urgency of addressing maternal mental health conditions, including perinatal depression and anxiety, and highlighted the need to integrate mental health services into routine primary healthcare and social protection systems across ASEAN. Speakers also emphasised the importance of strengthening community-based support and cross-sectoral collaboration to ensure timely and accessible care for mothers and children.

Moderated by Dr Liem Nguyen, Programme Manager for Social Welfare at ERIA, the session featured presentations by researchers from Cambodia, Indonesia, Japan, and Thailand. Discussions explored community-based models, primary healthcare workforce capacity, and targeted interventions for vulnerable groups, including adolescent mothers, migrant women, families in rural and remote areas, women living in conflict-affected areas, and low-income women in urban communities.

A regional overview, co-presented by Ms Shanon Mc Nab of the UNFPA Asia-Pacific Regional Office and Ms Deandra Ardya Sutoyo of ERIA, highlighted key findings from the regional study and emphasised the need for stronger commitment, cross-sectoral collaboration, and co-ordinated action amongst AMS to advance maternal mental health across the region. The presentation from Japan provided valuable insights and lessons from the country’s experience, while the other presentations drew on studies conducted under the ‘HARMONY: ASEAN for Maternal Mental Health’ initiative. Endorsed by AMS and supported by ERIA, UNFPA, and Canada’s International Development Research Centre, the initiative aims to strengthen the evidence base and advance policy action on maternal mental health across the region. A HARMONY team meeting was also held as a side event on the third day of AJHLOM.

On the second day, participants joined site visits across Kagawa Prefecture to observe hospital-based and community-based support initiatives. Delegations visited three facilities in separate field groups: the Seto Inland Sea Medical Ship, which delivers mobile healthcare services to remote island communities; employment support facilities that help persons with disabilities develop vocational skills and gain work experience; and Takamatsu Municipal Hospital, a regional hospital that collaborates closely with healthcare and long-term care providers.

The meeting concluded with a summary of key discussions and the adoption of recommendations aimed at strengthening ASEAN–Japan co-operation to advance more inclusive and caring societies. The event reaffirmed ERIA’s commitment to supporting AMS in building inclusive, resilient, and people-centred communities where no one is left behind.