SMART HEALTHY AGING INITIATIVE (SHAI)

Smart Healthy Aging in the Era of the 100-Year Life

　
“Stay healthy and enjoy life to the fullest no matter how old you may be” - Extending healthy life expectancy^*1 is a universal aspiration as the entire world enters the era of the 100-year life. Being one of the “oldest” countries in the world, with elderly people (aged 65 and over) accounting for almost 30% of its total population, Japan is a pioneer in tackling this social issue.

While the average life expectancy in Japan is one of the highest - 81.45 years for men and 87.57 years for women^*2, what’s less known is the fact that the healthy life expectancy is 10 years less than this. This gap of 10 years implies that people aged 70 and older may suffer from health challenges that can limit their daily activities. This so-called “lost decade” has been a major unresolved social issue during the past 20 years.

To minimize the “lost decade”, the Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies in Japan aspires to realize a smart healthy aging society, where everyone can live healthier, longer and more enjoyable lives through improvement of quality of life (QOL).

Our Smart Healthy Aging Initiatives

　
To make the “lost decade” healthier and more fulfilling for everyone and for their families, Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies in Japan has launched the Smart Healthy Aging Initiative (SHAI).

We believe that by generating solutions from Japan to help prolong healthy life expectancy, we can leverage these for other countries, ultimately contributing to healthcare globally.

As a total healthcare company with a wide-ranging portfolio from medicines and cutting edge medical technologies to eye health solutions and consumer health goods, the Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies in Japan integrates its technical capabilities and expertise beyond sectors and national borders to drive SHAI. Through collaborations with the industry, healthcare institutions and government, we drive innovation and take a comprehensive approach, striving to address the unmet needs of healthy and ailing elderly.
　

Elderly in Japan Suffer from Multimorbidity

　
According to the analysis by our Data Science team and various external studies, the elderly in Japan excluding healthy individuals with no anticipated chronic diseases are categorized into: those with cancer, those with sensory disorders and frailty^*3, and those with cardiovascular vascular diseases.

Another survey^*4 suggests that around 50% of such elderly suffer from 4 or more chronic conditions.

We believe addressing multimorbidity is critical in prolonging healthy life expectancy.
　

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Addressing Unmet Needs of Elderly Through Industry-Government-Academia Partnership

　
To focus on multimorbidity and bring to life our cross-disciplinary approach, we are particularly engaged in 3 areas: “early detection and intervention”, “optimization of treatment” and “outcomes improvement through adherence to treatment”.

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To ensure that we capture insights and needs in as ‘real-time’ as possible to develop innovative solutions, we partner with various stakeholders including healthcare institutions, academia, government, business and the healthcare industry with the goal of delivering an ecosystem for extending healthy life expectancy.
　
　
　

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Japan Smart Healthy Aging QuickFire Challenge (QFC)

　
As part of SHAI, Johnson & Johnson Innovation together with The Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies in Japan launched the Japan Smart Healthy Aging QuickFire Challenge, a healthcare innovation idea contest on September 14, 2022. Innovators are invited to submit ideas in the following areas to prolong healthy life expectancy: Vision (ophthalmology), Oncology (cancer), Orthopedics including osteoarthritis, Digital Surgery and Neurovascular.

Submit ideas from here:
https://jnjquickfire.secure-platform.com/a/solicitations/67/home

About QuickFire Challenge (English):
https://jnjinnovation.com/innovation-challenges/japan-smart-healthy-aging-quickfire-challenge

About QuickFire Challenge (Japanese)
https://www.jnj.co.jp/story-innovation/quickfire-challenge-2022

Our Initiatives So Far

• In December 2021, The Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies in Japan concluded a Memorandum of Understanding on SHAI with Tohoku University Hospital and Sendai City. The three parties have collaborated to solve health-related challenges and generate innovation in the super-aging society.

As part of the initiative, The Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies in Japan partnered with Sendai City and A10 Lab, a company providing a lifestyle habit management app, “Minchalle” for a new smoke cessation trial program.

^{*1 The average number of years that a person can expect to live in full health without being hampered by disabling illnesses or injuries.}

^{*2 “Abridged Life Tables 2021 Overview” by MHLW}

^{*3 a geriatric syndrome characterized by a reduction in the physiological reserve required for an individual to respond to stressors, increasing vulnerability to disabilities, long-term care and death (Statement on frailty by the Japan Geriatrics Society)}

^{*4 Japan Osteoporosis Society Global Burden of Disease database}