EXCLUSIVE: Japan Ruling Camp Eyes Basic Law for Dementia Support

July 2, 2018

Tokyo- Japan's ruling parties are considering jointly submitting to next year's ordinary session of the Diet, the nation's parliament, a lawmaker-initiated bill on a basic law calling on the central and local governments to comprehensively promote support measures for dementia sufferers, Jiji Press learned Monday.

The Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner, Komeito, plan to discuss the details based on an outline of the planned draft law, compiled by Komeito in May, hoping to create a society friendly to dementia sufferers and their families, informed sources said.

The two parties aim to draw up the draft bill by the end of the year, according to the sources.

The number of dementia sufferers in Japan is soaring in line with the country's rapidly aging population.

As of 2012, some 4.62 million people aged 65 or over were believed to have had dementia. The number is forecast to reach some seven million in 2025.

Under the envisioned basic law, the ruling parties hope to promote preventive care and treatment, as well as measures in various fields, such as employment, education and community development, in a comprehensive manner, the sources said.

The coalition also intends to support sufferers of early-onset dementia.

The Komeito-compiled outline says that the central and local governments bear responsibility for carrying out policy measures related to dementia.

It obliges the national government to work out a basic program to promote projects to tackle dementia and ask prefectural and municipal governments to formulate similar programs.

The outline also calls for establishing a liaison council within the central government to coordinate policies among relevant ministries and agencies. Jiji Press