As part of our new US-Japan Program on Healthy and Resilient Aging, JCIE hosted a discussion between Kanagawa Governor Yuji Kuroiwa and a group of experts in the fields of global health, aging, and sustainable development. The event was a follow-up to a recent one-week study tour to Japan in May 2023 with a group from Columbus, Ohio, which included a visit to Kanagawa Prefecture, and a meeting with Governor Kuroiwa.
Ambassador Mikio Mori, Consul-General, Consulate General of Japan in New York, gave introductory remarks to open the session. Governor Kuroiwa then presented on his work, outlining Kanagawa’s Healthcare New Frontier Policy and outlined the Prefecture’s efforts to ensure people live long and healthy lives as Japan deals with the challenges of rapid aging population. He explained the concepts of ME-BYO, the idea that people continuously shift between being “healthy” and “sick,” and that it is thus important to take ongoing steps to maintain and improve one’s health, and “Vibrant Inochi,” the idea that people should be able to live a healthy life full of laughter and fulfillment. He also emphasized Kanagawa’s leadership in participating in the WHO’s Age-Friendly Cities Network, with 22 out of Japan’s 24 age-friendly communities being in Kanagawa.
Participants, including representatives from civil society and the private sector, also shared some of their own work on the promotion of global health and wellbeing and engaged in a lively discussion with the Governor. A full list of participants can be found below.
Featured Speaker
Hon. Yuji Kuroiwa, Governor, Kanagawa Prefecture
Host
Kazuyo Kato, Executive Director, Japan Center for International Exchange (JCIE/USA)
Participants
Rajiv Ahuja, Associate Director, Milken Institute Center for the Future of Aging
Kimberly Gould Ashizawa, Senior Advisor, JCIE/USA
Kevin Bayes, Program and Administrative Assistant, JCIE/USA
Susan Berresford, Trustee, JCIE/USA; former President, Ford Foundation
Staci Custus, Program Officer (Global Health), JCIE/USA
Beth Finkel, State Director, AARP New York
James Gannon, Senior Fellow, JCIE/USA
Ryohei Iiyama, Senior Staff Member, Global Strategy, Inochi and Future Strategy HQs Office, Kanagawa Prefectural Government
Marie Kissel, Senior Advisor, Government Affairs, Abbott; Trustee, JCIE/USA
Mitsuhiro Kobayashi, Director of General Affairs, Consulate General of Japan in New York
Osamu Mima, Director, Kanagawa Division, JETRO New York
Mikio Mori, Ambassador, Consul-General of Consulate General of Japan, New York
Molly Moss, Global Health Policy Officer, UN Foundation
Ryuta Nomura, Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, Central Institute for Experimental Animals
Stephen McHugh, Program Officer (Aging Program, Democracy Program), JCIE/USA
Kenichi Oki, Associate Director General of Healthcare Innovation, Kanagawa Prefectural Government
Ayako Sato, Group Leader, Global Strategy, Inochi and Future Strategy HQs Office, Kanagawa Prefectural Government
Taku Shibayama, Secretary to the Governor for Administrative Policy, Kanagawa Prefectural Government
