EMBA students visit Japan to learn about aging population

June 15, 2019

Tokyo--Foreign students on executive master of business administration, or EMBA, courses Friday wrapped up their five-day Japan visit to learn about the country's aging population.

During their stay, the 23 students at graduate schools in Western and Asian countries visited relevant companies and gave thought to how elderly people should spend their time after retirement.

The program to visit Japan, seen as the leading example of the common phenomenon in developed countries, was organized by Hitotsubashi University's Graduate School of International Corporate Strategy. Students at nine of its 30 affiliated business schools joined the program.

Tomonori Ito, professor at the Japanese graduate school, said Japan's population aging has attracted worldwide interest.

"Japan is faced with many challenges including a lack of workers at elderly care facilities, but there is a positive side (to the aging), such as the creation of new businesses for elderly people," he said.

Participants visited a paid nursing care home with services to help residents maintain physical independence, run by Orix Living Corp., and the Toyoshikidai district in Kashiwa, Chiba Prefecture, near Tokyo, known for its urban development initiatives for elderly people.

Andrew Lai from Taiwan, 35, who belongs to the EMBA course of Fudan University in Shanghai, said: "Taiwan has the same problem. I'll definitely come back to Japan and do some research." Jiji Press