Japan faces dementia crisis: can technology help?

Last year, more than 18,000 elderly people suffering from dementia left their homes and wandered around Japan. Later, nearly 500 were found dead.

Police say these cases have doubled since 2012.

Seniors aged 65 and older now make up almost 30% of Japan’s population, the second-highest proportion in the world after Monaco, according to the World Bank.

The crisis is further exacerbated by a shrinking workforce and strict limits on the entry of foreign workers to provide care.

Japan’s government has identified dementia as one of its most pressing policy challenges, with the Ministry of Health estimating that dementia-related health and social care costs will reach 14 trillion yen ($90 billion; £67 billion) by 2030, up from nine trillion yen in 2025.

In its latest strategy, the government has signaled a stronger shift towards technology to ease the pressure.

Across the country, people are adopting GPS-based systems to keep track of those who wander.

Some regions offer portable GPS tags that can alert authorities the moment a person leaves a designated area.

In some cities, convenience store workers receive real-time notifications, a kind of community safety net that can locate a missing person within hours.

Other technologies aim to detect dementia earlier.

Fujitsu’s aiGait uses AI to analyze posture and gait patterns, detecting early signs of dementia (shuffling when walking, slower turns, or difficulty standing) by generating skeletal contours that doctors can review during routine checkups.

“Early detection of age-related diseases is key,” says Hidenori Fujiwara, a Fujitsu spokesperson. “If doctors can use motion capture data, they can intervene sooner and help people stay active longer.”

Meanwhile, researchers at Waseda University are developing AIREC, a 150kg humanoid robot designed to be a “future” caregiver.

It can help a person put on socks, scramble eggs, and fold clothes. Scientists at Waseda University hope that in the future AIREC will be able to change diapers and prevent bedsores in patients.

Similar robots are already being used in nursing homes to play music for residents or guide them through simple stretching exercises.

They are also monitoring patients at night (placed under mattresses to track sleep and conditions) and reducing the need for humans to make rounds.

Although humanoid robots are being developed for the near future, assistant professor Tamon Miyake says the level of precision and intelligence required will take at least five years before they can safely interact with humans.

“It requires whole-body awareness and adaptive understanding—how to adapt to each person and situation,” he says.

Emotional support is also part of the drive for innovation.

Poketomo, a 12cm tall robot, can be carried in a bag or fits in a pocket. It reminds users to take medications, tells them how to prepare in real time for the weather outside, and offers conversation for those who live alone, which its creators say helps alleviate social isolation.

“We are focusing on social issues… and using new technology to help solve those problems,” Miho Kagei, Sharp’s development director, told the BBC.

While devices and robots offer new ways to help, human connection remains irreplaceable.

“Robots should complement, not replace, human caregivers,” said Miyake, a scientist at Waseda University. “While they may take on some tasks, their primary role is to assist both caregivers and patients.”

At the Wrong Orders Restaurant in Sengawa, Tokyo, founded by Akiko Kanna, people flock to be treated by patients suffering from dementia.

Inspired by her father’s experience with this disease, Mrs. Kanna wanted a place where people could stay engaged and feel purposeful.

Toshio Morita, one of the cafe’s waiters, uses flowers to remember which table ordered what.

Despite his cognitive decline, Morita enjoys the interaction. For his wife, coffee provides a respite and helps him stay engaged.

Kanna’s coffee illustrates why social interventions and community support remain essential. Technology can provide tools and relief, but meaningful engagement and human connection are what truly sustain people living with dementia.

“Honestly? I wanted some pocket money. I like meeting all kinds of people,” Morita says. “We’re all different, that’s what makes it fun.”