Transforming Towns and Cities to Accommodate an Elderly Population

Transforming Towns and Cities to Accommodate an Elderly Population

In the heart of Japan, Kashiwa City is pioneering a new approach to urban planning, focusing on creating age-friendly communities that cater to the needs of an aging population. This innovative project, known as the "Work Places for the Second Life Project," is a prime example of this forward-thinking approach.

The city's vision is inspired by Dr. Hiroko Akiyama, a renowned gerontologist and professor emeritus at the University of Tokyo. Dr. Akiyama, who is also the former vice president of the Science Council of Japan, has spent decades researching the elderly in Japan, tracking approximately 6,000 Japanese elderly over 30 years. In 2006, she established the Institute of Gerontology at the University of Tokyo.

The "Work Places for the Second Life Project" is a social experiment that aims to re-design communities for the highly aged society. It seeks to create work environments that cater to the lifestyles and needs of older adults seeking meaningful engagement in their second careers or post-retirement phases.

Kashiwa City, particularly in the Kashiwa-no-ha area, serves as a model for sustainable and innovative urban planning focused on inclusivity and quality of life. Kashiwa-no-ha Smart City integrates renewable energy, green spaces, smart transportation, and digital services to foster a sustainable living environment that supports the diverse needs of its residents, including aging populations.

This infrastructure is planned from the outset to ensure long-term benefits such as cleaner air, energy security, and cost savings, which are vital for creating comfortable and accessible communities for older adults. The "Work Places for the Second Life Project" likely aligns with Kashiwa's broader urban development initiatives, such as those seen in the Kashiwa Takashimaya Station Mall area, where mixed-use developments provide convenient, user-friendly spaces that connect commercial, administrative, and community functions, supporting active aging and social engagement.

The success of the "Work Places for the Second Life Project" requires collaboration among researchers in different disciplines, as well as full collaboration between citizens, local governments, the business community, and other local organizations. By the year 2060, the percentage of Japanese citizens over the age of 65 is projected to increase to roughly 40%. This project, therefore, is not just a vision for the future, but a necessary step towards meeting the needs of Japan's rapidly aging population.

Dr. Hiroko Akiyama's work has been recognised by the annual United Nations Population Fund's State of World Population report. Her model, which includes developing mixed-use, accessible workspaces tailored for older adults’ second careers, leveraging sustainable infrastructure with renewable energy and green spaces to enhance quality of life, integrating smart city features (transport, digital services) that facilitate mobility and social inclusion, and enhancing community connectivity and convenience through urban redevelopment projects, is a holistic approach that supports the needs and aspirations of an aging society.

This approach positions Kashiwa City as a leading example of age-friendly community planning in Japan. The model of the "Work Places for the Second Life Project" can be replicated throughout Japan to provide the support and infrastructure needed for the aging population. Dr. Akiyama is also the founder of Kamakura Living Lab, a platform for open innovation by co-creation among users, industry, government, and academia, further demonstrating her commitment to creating age-friendly communities.

Sources:

1. Annual United Nations Population Fund's State of World Population report
2. Japan Statistical Yearbook, Chapter 2: Population and Households by Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communication, Statistics Bureau
3. The Guardian's article titled "Japan's population set to shrink a third by 2060" (retrieved 13 January 2016)
4. Dr. Hiroko Akiyama's holistic approach to age-friendly community planning, which includes elements of design, innovation, and science, aims to re-create workspaces suitable for older adults' second careers within Kashiwa City's broader urban development initiatives.
5. In addition to workspaces, this approach also emphasizes art, health-and-wellness, and the inclusion of renewable energy and green spaces to improve the quality of life for aging communities within the Kashiwa-no-ha Smart City.
6. The success of this project, known as the "Work Places for the Second Life Project," requires collaboration among different disciplines, citizens, local governments, the business community, and local organizations, positioning it as a model for replication in other aging communities throughout Japan.

Read also: