The 2023 G7 Hiroshima Summit Legacy Event, titled "Charting a Course for Global Leadership from Japan in Inclusion and Innovation for Dementia," took place on May 28 at the Kasumi Campus Ryoun Lecture Building.

Organized by the Health and Global Policy Institute (HGPI) in cooperation with Hiroshima University (HU), the event focused on discussing the current challenges, initiatives towards realization, and prospects related to the global policy issue of dementia. The discussions were approached from the perspectives of an “inclusive society and innovation,” with the goal of positioning Japan as a leader in the international community.

HGPI chair Professor Kiyoshi Kurokawa, also the vice chair of the World Dementia Council (WDC) and special advisor of HU, brought his extensive expertise to the event.

"Dementia is like the wrinkles that appear as we age. As you listen to the lecture, I encourage you to view it as something familiar and contemplate how we can understand it better and faster. The insights of non-specialists can also be useful, so we look forward to your input," he said. 

During the first panel discussion on "Japan’s National Strategy for Dementia and Contributing to the International Community – A Look Back on the G7 Summit," Contributing Professor Shinya Ishii from the Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, along with three other speakers, took the podium. Looking back on the efforts made at the recent G7 Hiroshima Summit and the G7 Health Ministers’ Meeting in Nagasaki, the panelists discussed the status of Japan's initiatives to combat dementia and explored ways to contribute to the international community.

Professor Ishii highlighted the support systems and initiatives available in different regions of Japan for people with dementia.

"Japan can be proud of its initiatives on dementia, which are exemplary worldwide," he said.

He also pointed out that "further promotion and awareness-raising and the development of measures that are close to the wishes of the person with dementia are challenges," and stressed the importance of "continuously communicating these initiatives to the world."

Professor Takeshi Iwatsubo from the Graduate School of Medicine at The University of Tokyo delivered a keynote speech on "Current Circumstances and Future Prospects for the Innovations in Dementia Research." Two panel discussions followed, focusing on "Innovation in Dementia Treatment and the Healthcare Provision System of the Future" and "Risk Reduction, Early Detection, and Innovation for Dementia."

During the closing ceremony, HU’s Executive Vice President Junko Tanaka highlighted Japan's significant contributions to dementia research, support for families with people suffering from dementia, and administrative measures.

"This event introduced new possibilities for treatment and effective prevention and provided a glimpse into the future prospects of overcoming the unprecedented challenges of an aging society," she said.

Tanaka concluded her speech by expressing the university's commitment to contributing to dementia care through the practice of science, leading sustainable development as a hub of knowledge, and aiming for coexistence and prevention.

Around 50 participants were present, attentively listening to the lectures despite the long hours of the event on a weekend afternoon.