JNA News Release2012 July Vol.9

JNA News Release
Japanese Nursing Association
5-8-2 Jingu-mae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0001, JAPAN

Tel: +81-3-5778-8559

Fax: +81-3-5778-5602

http://www.nurse.or.jp/jna/english/index.html

JNA General Convention
Japanese Nursing Association held its General

proposals to overcome the challenge of the “YearConvention for the fiscal year 2012 on June 5 and 6.

2025 Problem.” This “Problem” concerns the time

It was attended by approximately 3,050 members

when the baby-boomers born after World War II will(750 representatives and 2,300 JNA members), andbecome 75 years or older, and the elderly population

the meeting included lively discussions of the FY

will reach 35 million in the year 2025.

2011 Annual Report, Project Propos als and theAt the Board member election, Vice President Reiko

budget for the FY 2012.

Kikuchi

In her opening address, JNA President Suga

Director Kumiko Ii (former Executi ve Officer) andSakamoto set the goal of establishing a pro fessional

Executive Officer Ikumi Nakaita were elected toorganization that would be able to make policy

establish a new regime. ■(formerExecutiveDirector),

Executive

Establishing a Health Care Delivery System for Super-Aged SocietyJapanisasuper-agedsociety with a population(%)

Aging：the population 65 years or older

aging rate of 23.1% (as ofOctober 1, 2010). According
tothefuture

population

45
40
Australia

estimate for up to 2060,

35

which

in30

National

25

Institute of Population and20

wasreleased

January by theSocial

Security

Researchunder the Ministry of Health,CanadaJapan
United Kingdom
United States of America
Indonesia
Philippines

15

Viet NamIndia

10Malaysia

Labour and Welfare, thenation’s population, whichstood at 128.06 million in2010, will fall to 86.74 million

Thailand50(Year)in 2060, whil e the aging rate
will be as high as 39.9% .

1|Source: Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat, World Populat ion Prospects:
The 2010 Revision, http://esa.un.org/unpd/wpp/index.htm
Japanese data after 2010 is from the projected populatio n in Japan publishedon January 2012, the National Institute of Population and Social Security Research

JNA News Release2012 July Vol.9

In anticipation of this rapid aging of the society,functional different iation and collaboration amongcomprehensive reform of the social security and tax

health professionals and health service providers.

systems is now under discussion, and will involve

In other words, Japan aims to achieve a system

restructuring and reform of the health care system.

whereby health care, long -term care, preventive

The Japanese government plans to resolve thecare and housing are all provided comprehensively

identified key issues concerning the delivery ofwithin the daily living area, while reference

health care and long -term care services in fifteen

hospitals will be set in the greater local area a ndyears (i.e. by 2025), and to establish a service

advanced medical centers including emergency

system that can support community residents in aand cancer treatment will function on a prefectural

multilayered

level.

andintegrated

mannerthrough

Aging in Place: Community development in an aging society
Information
network

Mobility assistanceaccording to individualneeds

Community
supported by active
elderly people

Diversehousing basedon the needs

Evaluation
Quality ofLife(QOL)

From hospital tohomeCommunity

Hospital
Healthinformation

Quality ofCommunity(QOC)

Telemedicine

Primary caresystem24-hour on-call visiting nurse/
caregiverPharmacy
Pharmacy

Costs

Primary care
physicianPatientology

Hiroko Akiyama (Executive Committee Professor, Institute of Gerontology, The University of Tokyo)
186th General Assembly of the Central Social Insurance Medical Council: Reference material for discussions with experts.

In the super-aged society, the focus is on healthdependingcare and long -term care services in community

government, while the estimated supply will remain

areas, as many people wish to keep living in theiraround 1.8 million in actual numbers.

familiar environment.

JNA will further promotemeasure for securing and retention of a nursing

nursing in home based care and in long -term care

workforce is essential, through JNA’s current

settings, with the promotion of home visit nursing

promotion of a work environment where nurses canand multifunctional services to support extended

continue to work. JNA is also examining the futurecare and the strengthening the nursing function invision of nursing in order t o present a full picture oflong-term care settings as one of the main projects

nursing in the changing health care delivery system

in FY 2012.

by clarifying nursing functions, and at the same

It is currently estimated that a nursing workforce oftime, visualize the allocation of the available human

1.95 to 2.05 million will be needed in 2025,resources. ■2|

onthereform

scenarios

oftheThe

JNA News Release2012 July Vol.9

What is the Comprehensive Reform of Social Security and Tax?
Social welfare must be sustainable. Due to the fastest aging population in the world, however, thecosts associated with social security, including pensions, health care and long -term care have been
increasing by more than 1 trillion yen (about US$ 12.6 billion) every year.
The Japanese Government is considering gradual increases in the consumption tax, aiming atfunctional enhancement of social welfare in response to social economic changes, and at achieving
both a stabl e source of revenue for social welfare and a sound fiscal condition at once.
A possible new system is also being reviewed to address emerging issues and unmet needs, such assupport for child-rearing, health care and long -term care services, unemployment, poverty and widening
economic disparity, to share the burden of growing social security benefits among working people,elderly people and employers, and to avoid relying on the next generation to repay heavy debts.

JNA Report on the Great East Japan Earthquake
One year after the Great East Japan Earthquake offor future disaster preparedness .

March 11, 2011 the report on the JNA activities has

the report in English is now being prepared, and will

been completed.

be up on the JNA’s English website around

This report is significant, notonly as JNA’s activity record, but also as a model

A summary ofSeptember. ■Nursing in JapanQ What proportion of nurses is engaged in the support of elderly people in thecommunity?
With the rapid aging of society, the number of people who need intensive long -term care and those withdementia is expected to increase. The role of nursing in the fields of home based care and long -term careis becoming more important.
Of all the nurses working nationwide, only 2% are employed a t the visiting nursing station.

Combining thisnumber with those working at facilities providing health facilities for elderly, intensive care home for elderly,social welfare facilities and those providing home based services, the proportion is still around 11%.

In

spite of this situation, expectations for “nursing that supports people’s livelihood” in a community a re risingeven more, as the demands for home based care and visiting nursing increase.

News Topics in Japan
Average Life Expectancy of the Japanese
On May 31, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare released the average life expectancy of Japanese in 2010,
based on the national population statistics and the numbers of deaths and births. Life expectancy was 79.55 years formale and 86.30 years for female, which was an average increase of 0.99 years for male and 0.78 years for female
3 | to 2005.
compared