The Future of AgeTech: Japan’s Aging Innovations
Q&A with Makiko Kawabe, Senior Researcher, SOMPO Digital Lab
Q: By necessity, Japan has been focused on addressing the physical, social and economic challenges of a rapidly aging population for decades. Are there broad lessons that we can take away related to the critical role of private and public stakeholders in stewarding our nation’s pending challenges?
Makiko: Japan’s aging rate — the percentage of the population 65 years or older — is currently 29% and continues to rise. Historically, the country has taken proactive measures to address aging-related challenges. One major milestone was the introduction of universal health insurance and pension systems in 1961, shortly after World War II. This was implemented at the beginning of economic growth, ensuring that healthcare remained accessible to every Japanese citizen.
Another key policy was the Elderly Welfare Law of 1963, which laid the groundwork for comprehensive elderly care well before Japan met the global aging society threshold of 7%. Over the decades, Japan adapted its healthcare and welfare policies to accommodate shifting demographics, including the introduction of public long-term care insurance in 2000.
One of Japan’s most significant achievements is ensuring universal accessibility to healthcare and eldercare services. Citizens can access healthcare throughout their lives, from routine checkups to long-term care. A major takeaway for other countries, particularly the U.S., is the importance of a government-led approach to ensuring equitable access to healthcare services. While this has contributed to achieving the world’s longest life expectancy, challenges remain in public-private partnerships as social security funding continues to dwindle.
Q: The Japanese senior population is amongst the world’s healthiest. As an expert in eldercare systems and solutions, can you share key insights that might be transferrable to caregivers and healthcare systems in the US.
Makiko: Japan’s eldercare system is based on three core principles:
- Supporting independence of the elderly
- Providing person-centered care
- Supporting elderly care as a shared responsibility across society
One example of Japan’s comprehensive approach to senior health is its low fall rate among the elderly. In Japan, only about 20% of seniors experience falls per year, compared to 30% in the U.S. and Europe. This is due to a combination of exercise recommendations, vitamin D supplementation, home modifications, and reduced reliance on medication.
Another key factor is a system that raises awareness of health education and encourages healthy behaviors. In Japan, health checkups are available throughout a person’s lifetime, allowing for early detection and prevention. Additionally, school lunch programs emphasize nutrition education, fostering lifelong healthy eating habits.
For the U.S., one major takeaway is that preventative health strategies and accessibility improvements can lead to better health outcomes for seniors. There is an opportunity to rethink how care is delivered, moving from a reactive to a proactive model where public and private investments focus not just on financial returns but also on social impact.
Q: Japan faces caregiver shortages similar to the U.S. What strategies or workforce innovations have been effective in Japan?
Makiko: Japan is still working on solutions to its chronic caregiver shortage, so many strategies are in progress rather than fully realized.
One significant initiative was the 2017 introduction of foreign technical interns in the nursing care field, with workers coming from Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines. However, retention rates have been low, partly due to Japanese language requirements, which make it difficult for foreign caregivers to enter and remain in the workforce.
Another promising approach has been technology integration in eldercare services. The Japanese government has introduced subsidies to help care facilities adopt new technologies, covering the costs of tablets, Wi-Fi infrastructure, and back-office software. This improves operational efficiency and alleviates some burdens on caregivers.
While Japan continues to refine its approach, two key lessons emerge:
- Workforce expansion alone is insufficient — policy changes must also address integration, language training, and career development.
- Technology adoption is crucial to alleviating workforce shortages, particularly in administrative tasks.
Q: As we contemplate the role of technology in preventative health and eldercare support, what innovative AI, IoT or other technologies are most exciting?
Makiko: In facility-based care, technological advancements are developing along two major tracks:
- Supporting indirect work: Many senior care facilities require daily condition reports for residents. AI-powered software is helping automate data collection and reimbursement processes, streamlining administrative work.
- Supporting direct care: Caregivers often conduct regular nighttime check-ins on residents, which is both labor-intensive and disruptive. Motion-sensing and AI-powered monitoring technologies could eventually replace manual check-ins, improving efficiency while maintaining high-quality care.
In home-based care, real-time data collection and community-based healthcare integration are critical. While fall detection sensors are widely available, connecting these systems to broader care networks remains a challenge. Developing technologies that seamlessly integrate sensor data into care decisions will be key to improving home-based eldercare.
Q: What strategies is SOMPO Digital Lab focused on to accelerate the shift in elder care from a reactive model to a more preventive, proactive approach?
Makiko: Sompo Group prioritizes preventative aging solutions over purely medical or acute care interventions. The company operates Sompo Care, Japan’s largest chain of nursing care facilities, and is investing in innovations that enhance proactive care through its Wellbeing Group.
As part of its broader mission, SOMPO Digital Lab serves as the innovation arm of the Sompo Group, a major insurer in Japan. Unlike traditional insurance companies that primarily handle property and casualty insurance, Sompo also leads healthcare and eldercare initiatives. Sompo Group is uniquely positioned at the intersection of insurance, healthcare, and eldercare. Sompo’s mission extends beyond financial products — it is actively shaping the future of aging in Japan.
Through R&D and strategic innovation partnerships, Sompo Group is working to enhance AI-driven predictive analytics. The goal is to enable earlier identification of health risks, promote timely interventions, and ultimately shift eldercare away from costly reactive treatments and toward a more proactive, sustainable model.
For those in the U.S. exploring age-tech solutions, I encourage looking at how different sectors — insurance, technology, and healthcare — can collaborate to build more integrated, preventative, and sustainable models for aging populations.
