Nagasaki, 13-14 May 2023: ERIA was honoured to organize a Ministerial Working Lunch on ‘Healthy Ageing in Asia’ as a side event at the G7 Nagasaki Health Ministers Meeting. This marked ERIA’s third participation in the G7 ministerial series, following the G7 Gunma Takasaki Digital and Tech Ministers' Meeting and the G7 Sapporo Ministers’ Meeting on Climate, Energy and Environment.

Over the years, the ERIA Healthcare Unit has been actively involved in a number of projects supporting policy decisions to address the challenges posed by the rapidly ageing population in ASEAN and East Asia.

The working lunch aimed to deepen a shared understanding of how to tackle the issues of an ageing society, and promote active ageing in Asia over the next 20 years. Dr Takuma Kato, Director for Healthcare and Long-Term Care Policy, gave the main presentation on the ERIA Healthcare Unit’s activities focusing on healthy ageing.

Distinguished guests in attendance included H.E. Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, India's Minister for Health and Family Welfare; H.E. Budi Gunadi Sadikin, Indonesia's Minister of Health; and the honourable delegation from Viet Nam – Dr Nguyen Luong Tam, Deputy Director, the Department of Preventive Medicine, and Dr Duong Duc Thien, Deputy Director, the Department of Planning and Finance, Ministry of Health. Dr Yasumasa Fukushima, Japan's Vice-Minister for Health, Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare, also attended as the host representative.

The gathering provided an excellent platform for these countries to give input on ERIA’s Healthcare Unit activities, and also share their experiences and strategies in dealing with their ageing populations. They discussed successful regulations and initiatives implemented in their respective countries to address the challenges posed by an ageing society.

One of the primary objectives of the working lunch was to explore potential areas of collaboration between ERIA and the participating countries. H.E. Dr Mandaviya, India's Minister for Health and Family Welfare spoke of the importance of tackling the problems of an ageing society and declining fertility rates, and future possibilities to collaborate with the institute in India on ageing research. H.E. Budi Gunadi Sadikin, Indonesia's Minister of Health, also said research needs to analyse why there were several centenarians in East Java, and to leverage advanced technology such as Artificial Intelligence and biometrics technology to realise healthy ageing.

From Viet Nam, Dr Duong Duc Thien, Deputy Director General, Planning and Finance Department, Ministry of Health, said he appreciated the research activities ERIA had conducted so far regarding ageing and fertility rate issues in Viet Nam, and pointed out the significance of further analysis of the challenges of an ageing society in terms of not only health but also economic and labour matters.

ERIA offered its expertise and resources to support these nations in developing effective policies and solutions for their ageing populations. The discussions were productive, and all parties expressed enthusiasm about the possibilities for future collaboration.

In addition to the working lunch, ERIA also took part in an exhibition held during the event, setting up a booth to showcase its healthcare publications. The exhibition attracted the attention of ministers and representatives from G7 and guest countries, who visited the booth to learn more about ERIA's research, projects, and findings in the field of healthcare and long-term care.

The two-day event concluded with bilateral meetings between ERIA and representatives from India, Indonesia, and Viet Nam, which provided an opportunity for in-depth discussions and planning for future collaborations. ERIA expressed its excitement and commitment to working closely with these countries to tackle the challenges of ageing populations, and these opportunities could be a trigger to collaborate and contribute to the development of effective policies and strategies.