The Association of Pacific Rim Universities was established in 1997 with leading universities across the Americas, Asia and Australasia to contribute to the development of an increasingly integrated Pacific Rim community from the perspective of education and research. The 5th Research Symposium on Aging in the Asia-Pacific region was hosted by the University of Southern California September 14-16, 2014. Participating nations were the U.S.A. (host), China, Hong Kong, Singapore, India, and Indonesia, where the government is making an effort to address challenges facing aging societies. Researchers from various nations made presentations on the multiple challenges facing aging societies. The Symposium also included an international comparison of Asia and Pacific Rim countries, where a number factors such as the relationship between state economic development and adult disease development, the relationship between isolation of the elderly and habitation policies, and the grooming of new leaders who support the elderly were considered. GLAFS Prof. Hiroko Akiyama and Prof. Hideki Hashimoto presented. Their presentation attracted much attention because although Japan is developing economically, it is also a rare example of a country where there is a low obesity rate and a long average length of life. The community developments pursued by the IOG, the University of Tokyo, and the city of Kashiwa also drew the attention of the participants.(Project Assistant Professor, Ryoko Hatanaka) |