Japan Preparing National Project to Deal with Dementia

Tokyo, Oct. 3 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese government is planning what it has described as a new national project to deal with dementia, centered around strengthening efforts aimed at the prevention of and coexistence with the syndrome. Last Wednesday, the government held the first meeting of a council aimed at gathering opinions from people with dementia, their families and experts such as researchers. The meeting was held after parliament enacted in June the dementia basic law to promote the realization of a symbiotic society. In Japan, the number of people with dementia is seen continuing to increase due to societal aging, with about 9.53 million people, or one in four elderly people, predicted to suffer from it in 2040. There is an urgent need to address the problem, as it could lead to elderly care having to be provided by elderly people, and care workers leaving their jobs. Japan has set up a cross-ministry project to drastically strengthen research and development of treatments to slow the progression of dementia under the initiative of the central government. Up to 30 billion yen was earmarked for related costs in the budget request for fiscal 2024. On Sept. 25, the health ministry gave formal approval to lecanemab, an Alzheimer's drug jointly developed by Japanese drugmaker Eisai Co. and its U.S. partner Biogen Inc. The Japanese government aims to accelerate world-leading drug development and neuroscience research. However, drugs available at present only treat patients in the early stages of dementia, and a fundamental remedy has yet to be developed. "It's important to support people with dementia in their daily lives so that they don't fall into despair," a senior health ministry official said. The government is rushing to create environments in which people can continue living in their communities with hope even when they become elderly or have dementia. Kazuko Fujita, a member of the government council that met last Wednesday and head of the Japan Dementia Working Group, an association of people with dementia, told reporters that the council meeting was "the first step toward allowing people with dementia to participate in society." "We can't achieve a symbiotic society unless (people with dementia) feel they can continue social activities," Fujita, 62, said. The dementia basic law is set to come into force within one year of its enactment. The government plans to draw up a basic plan that will serve as the framework for dementia-related measures, at a task force headed by the prime minister. It will have to listen to the voices of people with dementia in order to achieve true coexistence, observers said. END