The Health and Global Policy Institute (HGPI) Dementia Policy Project formulated policy recommendations in dementia titled, “Three Necessary Perspectives for Formulating the Basic Plan for the Promotion of Policies on Dementia: Creating a Society That is Inclusive for All People at All Times.” For details, please view the PDF provided bottom.

■ Background of these recommendations

In our capacity as a non-profit, independent, non-partisan health policy think-tank, Health and Global Policy Institute (HGPI) views all issues related to population aging starting with dementia as global-level health policy issues and has worked continuously to advance dementia policy around the world. Through our collaborative efforts with the World Dementia Council (WDC) and a number of domestic patient advocacy organizations, HGPI has also backed efforts from civil society to encourage policy progress in this area.

For many years, the HGPI Dementia Policy Project has been involved in activities aiming to promote multi-stakeholder collaboration to advance dementia policy based on three pillars: (1) emphasize the perspectives of those most affected; (2) build a global platform; and (3) identify and disseminate policy issues. Through multi-stakeholder discussions centered on people living with dementia and their families, we have offered policy options to policymakers as well as to greater society. We believe that these activities have had some impact on dementia policy in Japan and overseas and have contributed to policy progress in this area. In 2014, our recommendations emphasized the importance of dementia policy that spans multiple ministries and agencies, which can be linked to the subsequent development of the National Framework for Promotion of Dementia Policies. During the formulation of The Basic Act on Dementia to Promote an Inclusive Society (the Dementia Basic Act), which was enacted in June 2023, HGPI acted early to provide discussion opportunities with legislators and other parties and presented a number of recommendations to publicize our views as a think tank. In the end, many of our recommendations were reflected in the Act.

The Dementia Basic Act came into effect on January 1, 2024, and the Government plans to formulate the Basic Plan for the Promotion of Policies on Dementia around fall 2024. Following the formulation of the Basic Plan, prefectural and municipal governments are expected to formulate their own plans for the promotion of dementia policies. The Ministerial Council on the Promotion of Dementia Care Policies, which is chaired by the Prime Minister, held its first meeting in accordance with the Dementia Basic Act on January 26, 2024. There are also future plans for meetings of the Stakeholder Committee for the Promotion of Policies for Dementia, which will include people living with dementia, their family members, and other affected parties, and discussions on the formulation of the Basic Plan for the Promotion of Policies on Dementia will begin in earnest. The Dementia Basic Act has already set a basic direction for dementia policies and includes discussion points related to each measure. A number of discussion points were also identified during the process of its passage into law. For our part, HGPI presented an urgent proposal titled “Enact the Basic Act for Dementia to Reshape Perceptions of Dementia” in September 2022 and joint policy recommendations formulated with the Association of People with Dementia, their Family Members, and Supporters titled, “Ensuring the Basic Act for Dementia Encourages Involvement for People Living with Dementia and their Supporters” in January 2023. In addition to offering policy recommendations, HGPI has been engaged in various advocacy activities to further our mission of providing policy options to society.

These recommendations are based on past discussions and are meant to convey a concise message on perspectives that were not positioned as key issues but must be kept in mind when creating a society where all people can continue living true to themselves at all times and in all places. While it goes without saying that further discussions will be required to examine the details of each point, we believe these are discussion points that many related parties should keep in mind as the start of full-scale discussions on the Basic Plan for the Promotion of Policies on Dementia draws near.

■ Policy Recommendations

Perspective 1: Looking ahead to disasters and other emergencies, expand emergency-related measures based on the Dementia Basic Act.
Perspective 2: Reflect a diversity of voices from affected parties and implement measures that are tailored to each party.
Perspective 3: Establish employment and support systems that enable people living with dementia and family caregivers to stay in the workforce.