Japan is facing a dementia crisis. Can technology help?

Last year, more than 18,000 elderly people with dementia left their homes and traveled to Japan. Nearly 500 people were later found dead.

Police said such incidents have doubled since 2012.

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

The crisis is further exacerbated by a reduced workforce and strict restrictions on foreign workers coming in to provide care.

The Japanese government has identified dementia as one of its most urgent 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 9 trillion yen in 2025.

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

Across the country, people are adopting GPS-based systems to track wanderers.

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

In some cities, convenience store employees receive real-time notifications. This is a kind of community safety net that can help find missing people within hours.

Other techniques aim to detect dementia early.

Fujitsu’s aiGait uses AI to analyze posture and walking patterns, pick up early signs of dementia (such as shuffling while walking, slow turning, or difficulty standing) and generate skeletal contours that clinicians can review during routine checkups.

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

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

It can help you put on socks, scramble eggs, and fold laundry. 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 or guide residents through simple stretching exercises.

They are also monitoring patients at night, placing them under mattresses to track their sleep and condition, reducing the need for people to make rounds.

Humanoid robots are being developed for the foreseeable future, but Assistant Professor Tamon Miyake said the level of precision and intelligence required will take at least five years before robots can safely interact with humans.

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

Emotional support is also part of driving innovation.

The 12cm tall robot Poketomo can be carried in a bag or fit into a pocket. Its creators say it helps alleviate social isolation by reminding users to take their medications, providing real-time advice on how to prepare for the weather outside, and providing conversation for people who live alone.

“We’re focusing on social issues. And we’re using new technologies to solve those problems,” Miho Kagei, development manager at Sharp, told the BBC.

Although devices and robots offer new methods of assistance, human connection remains irreplaceable.

“Robots should complement human caregivers, not replace them,” said Miyake, a scientist at Waseda University. “They may take on some duties, but their main role is to help both caregivers and patients.”

People flock to the ‘Restaurant of Wrong Orders’, founded by Akiko Kanna in Sengawa, Tokyo, to care for dementia patients.

Inspired by her father’s experience with the disease, Kanna wanted a place where people could stay engaged and feel a sense of purpose.

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

Despite his cognitive decline, Mr. Morita enjoys interacting. For his wife, the café provides relaxation and helps her stay engaged.

Kanna’s Café shows why social intervention and community support remain essential. Technology can provide tools and relief, but meaningful engagement and human connection is what truly sustains people with dementia.

“Honestly? I needed some pocket money. I like meeting different people,” says Morita. “That’s fun because it’s different for everyone.”

Jaltson’s further report is chammar.