Projects for Public Interest Purposes
For the purpose of promoting comprehensive research on aging and health, the Foundation actively develops public interest projects in three areas.
Projects for public interest purposes 1:Comprehensive research on aging and health support projects
The Foundation provides researchers of aging and health science with financial support, including research fund.
1. Promotion of comprehensive research on aging and health（Project End）
The Foundation conducts the following five projects in order to support researchers whose theme of comprehensive research on aging and health is adopted by the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare as a "Promoted Project" of the Sciences Research Grant Program.
2. Promotion of research on dementia（Project End）
The Foundation conducts the following five projects in order to support researchers whose theme of research on dementia is adopted by the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare as a "Promoted Project" of the Sciences Research Grant Program.
Promotion of (1.) comprehensive researches on aging and health and (2.) on dementia, which include the following five projects.
- Invitation of foreign researchers
- The Foundation invites foreign researchers who work on the state-of-the-art research in a related area and promotes international research collaboration.
- Overseas dispatch of Japanese researchers
- The Foundation dispatches young Japanese researchers to overseas research institutions and universities, and promotes their research through acquisition of skills.
- International collaborative research
- The Foundation encourages excellent Japanese and foreign researchers to work collaboratively. The Foundation also promotes their researches.
- Cultivation and utilization of young researchers
- The Foundation employs young researchers as part time staff for a certain period (a year in principle, three years at longest) to provide them with an environment where they can devote themselves to research activities at research institutions, with the purpose of cultivating the future core talents of Japan in the areas aging and health, as well as on dementia.
- Dissemination of research results and related educational activities
- The Foundation collects information about scientific researches, aided by the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare, and provides the results to related institutions in a published form of research report collections. The Foundation also organizes report meetings throughout Japan as a part of its dissemination and education efforts.
3. Support for researchers of aging and health science
The Foundation grants research funds for researchers of aging and health science with the purpose of supporting a wide range of research activities in the area.
4. Dispatch of researchers to aging and health science-related international conferences
The Foundation grants transportation fees for young researchers with significant achievements in the areas of aging and health science with the purpose of supporting them to report their research results at international conferences held overseas.
5. Commendation of young researchers
The Foundation commends young researchers with particularly significant achievements in the areas of aging and health science.
Projects for public interest purposes 2: Information provision projects
The Foundation widely provides people with results of comprehensive research on aging and health science along with information about healthy longevity with the purpose of contributing to the construction of a bright and spirited long-living society.
1. Publication of research result collections
The Foundation publishes results of comprehensive research on aging and health in the form of annual research result collections, which are edited as a research manual for medical personnel and are focused on themes of social needs. Copies of the research result collections are distributed nationwide to related institutions, including municipalities, hospitals, and universities, with the purpose of disseminating research results through utilization of the collections.
2. Publication of journal
The Foundation publishes a seasonal Journal, "Aging & Health," quarterly (in spring, summer, fall, and winter). Copies of the journal are distributed nationwide to related institutions, including municipalities, national hospitals, universities, with the purpose of providing research results in the areas of aging and health science along with information about healthy longevity in easy-to-understand language.
(Contents of the journal)
- Feature articles on recent topics related to aging and health
- Interviews with notable figures of age 85 or more
- Introduction of facilities related to aging and health
- Articles related to aging and health science
- News about the Foundation
3. Operation of the "Kenko-Choju Net"
Kenko-Choju Net is a website for public interest launched under the subsidy of the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare in collaboration with leading experts on gerontology and health promotion with the aim to construct bright and spirited long-living society.
Kenko-Chouju Net provides more than 500 commentaries about "aging and health," "medical services," and "care services," and answers the daily questions of elderly people accurately. The site is full of useful daily information for elderly people to live their long lives actively and in good health. Also, elderlies or their families can check their vital functions, such as motor functions, nutritional state, and oral functions, and utilize the results to consult with municipal services.
4. Organization of Choju Tasukeai (mutual aid for aging and health) lectures
With the purpose of discussing with participants about the construction of a bright and spirited long-living society, as well as about daily preventive care and health promotion, the Foundation organizes lectures throughout Japan in collaboration with the respective municipalities based on the following concepts.
- Learning about healthy longevity
- Practice of daily simple exercises
- Laughter
5. Dissemination of comprehensive research on aging and health and related educational activities
The Foundation organizes an international symposium annually with the theme of comprehensive research on aging and health in collaboration with the National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology.
Projects for public interest purposes 3: Survey research projects
The Foundation conducts survey researches on issues of aging and health science, including age-related illnesses, social and psychological problems of the elderly, among others.