Health and Global Policy Institute (HGPI), an independent, non-profit, and non-partisan think tank, has long been committed to addressing challenges in health and social security. By harnessing the collective intelligence of diverse stakeholders, HGPI aims to present new options for society, fostering citizen-centered health policy.

Japan’s social security system is currently facing structural challenges, including rapid population aging and a shrinking working-age population. With the increasing demand for healthcare and long-term care services due to the growing number of advanced late, social security benefits are projected to reach 190 trillion yen by 2040. Coupled with labor shortages due to the declining workforce, this trend threatens to increase the burden on the working generation and jeopardize the sustainability of the system. On the other hand, proactive efforts are being made by government and private sector experts to address these issues. Technological innovation is accelerating in healthcare and long-term care, giving rise to new services and system innovations. Moreover, policies and initiatives aimed at realizing a symbiotic society are being implemented nationwide, offering hope for a brighter future. These efforts not only have the potential not only to position Japan’s healthcare and elderly care industries as growth sectors but also to revitalize regional communities.

In the past, the National Council on Social Security System Reform, established in 2012, deliberated on the sustainability and future direction of the social security system from a long-term perspective. These discussions laid the foundation for Japan’s social security policy by seeking the optimal balance between “self-help, mutual assistance, and public help” while pursuing system enhancement and efficiency. Building on that momentum, the Meetings on a Social Security System Oriented to All Generations is currently advancing these discussions further. Additionally, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare unveiled the “Future Health and Active Society Strategy” in 2024, presenting a concrete vision for achieving a sustainable social security system. This strategy identifies three primary goals: promoting the growth of the healthcare and long-term care industries, harnessing innovation for societal benefit, and creating a society where individuals can lead healthy and active lives.

Against this backdrop of change, HGPI will provide a forum for discussion throughout 2025 with the “HGPI Salon 2025” on the theme of “Looking Ahead to the Future of Japan’s Social Security System”. Under the Chatham House Rule, these Salons will function as a platform for participants to engage in an open and candid dialogue to generate insights and ideas for policy development. Discussions will focus on specific challenges such as enhancing efficiency of healthcare and long-term care through ICT utilization, strengthening preventive care, and promoting the active participation of women and the elderly. Together with our board members and participants, we aim to conduct constructive discussions.

The HGPI Salon provides a positive space to share challenges in healthcare and social security while collaboratively exploring solutions for the future. The event is supported by participation fees, which are exclusively allocated to venue and operational expenses. Individual supporting members can attend free of charge. We warmly invite you to join us in envisioning a brighter future for Japan’s social security system.

In this fourth session, HGPI Board Member Dr. Satoko Hotta and Associate Ms. Nana Moriguchi engaged in discussions with the participants. Dr. Hotta delivered a presentation on the evolution of social policies related to dementia in Japan, the shifting societal perceptions of dementia, her own research, and the concept of “Inclusive Society”. The session also explored various initiatives and on-the-ground challenges aimed at promoting the social participation of people living with dementia—such as considerations in diagnosis, psychological support, employment, and self-expression. Lively discussions took place among all participants on ways to respect individuals’ autonomy while preventing potential risks.

 

[Event Overview]

• Session 4 Speakers

Guest Speaker: Satoko Hotta (Board Member, HGPI)
Moderator: Nana Moriguchi (Associate, HGPI)

• Date & Time: Tuesday, November 11, 2025; 18:30-20:00 JST (Reception opens at 18:15)
• Format: In-person Only
• Venue: Global Business Hub Tokyo
  (3F Otemachi Financial City Grand Cube, 1-9-2 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0004)
• Language: Japanese only
• Rules: Chatham House Rule
• Participation Fee:
  
  • • Individual Supporting Members: Free
    • General Participants: ¥4,000
    • Students (undergraduates only): ¥3,000
      *Participation fees will be fully allocated to operational and venue costs.

 

19:30-19:55 

19:55-20:00 

[Program]

18:30-18:35	Explanatory Introduction
	Hikaru Sato (Associate, HGPI)
18:35-18:40	Opening Remarks
	Kiyoshi Kurokawa (Honorary Chairman for Life, HGPI)
18:35-19:30	Dialogue Session Theme: “Strengthening Diverse Social Participation of People with Dementia and Achieving an Inclusive Society”
	Speaker: Satoko Hotta (Board Member, HGPI) Moderator: Nana Moriguchi (Associate, HGPI)
19:30-19:55	Dialogue with participants
19:55-20:00	Closing

 

■Profile

Satoko Hotta (Board Member, HGPI)
Professor Hotta holds a PhD in International Public Policy from Kyoto University’s Faculty and Graduate School of Law. After graduation, she served as project associate professor at the University of Tokyo’s Institute of Social Science and visiting professor at Utrecht University. She then became a professor at the Graduate School of Health Management of Keio University, where she is also a member of the university’s School of Medicine’s Wellbeing Research Center and leader of the Co-Creation Hub for a Dementia-Friendly Future. Professor Hotta has participated in various councils which take inspiration from concepts such as “the compassionate community” and “the dementia-friendly community” to support and accelerate the transition to more humane and sustainable care and community-building. The councils she has been involved in include the Caregiver Fee Subcommittee and Welfare Division of the Social Security Council, the Policy Evaluation Council, the Regional Comprehensive Care Research Group, and the Regional Shared Living Social Research Society. She was selected as a NIKKEI WOMEN OF THE YEAR Award winner in 2015 in the leadership category.

Nana Moriguchi (Associate, Health and Global Policy Institute)
Ms. Nana Moriguchi obtained her master’s degree in public health from Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine. During graduate school, she participated in the Health and Global Policy Institute (HGPI) Global Health Education Program (G-HEP). She joined HGPI in 2023 with the aim of realizing a society where people’s health and well-being is achieved, and she is now in charge of projects related to women’s health, dementia, chronic kidney disease (CKD), etc.

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