Governor’s Column (April 2012)
Saitama Project for Healthy Longevity
When I began my third term as Saitama Governor, I pledged to promote three projects: the Saitama Eco-Town Project, the Saitama Womanomics Project, and the Saitama Project for Healthy Longevity. This current column is written after general inquiries and party representatives’ questions at the February regular session of the Prefecture Assembly, and prior to the screening at the Ad hoc Budgetary Committee where there will be further a question and answer session.
As I explained in my answer to the representatives’ question, our country’s total medical costs reached 36 trillion yen, among which 12 trillion is spent for the treatment of so-called lifestyle diseases such as diabetes. Reports also show that of the elderly who become bedridden, 50% of cases are from cerebral conditions and 40% from falling. This means a careless fall can lead to serious consequences. Our muscular strength and balance are said to decline from the age of 50. While young people have the ability to recover their balance with little more than an “Oops,” seniors don’t enjoy the same.
Some while ago, I wrote about the town of Ogano, which has one of the highest aging rates in Saitama but is lowest in the prefecture in medical cost per capita of its elderly citizens. The secret behind this success is the town’s campaign centered around Ogano Hospital to prevent diseases and to encourage elderly citizens to participate in social activities. The Saitama Project for Healthy Longevity is a project I have proposed to suit conditions in urban areas after studying Ogano’s case as a model.
Three cities have been designated as models for this project. First is Higashi-Matsuyama, famous for its Three Day March, which will be a model city for making walking a healthy habit in daily life. Next is Sakado, which will show us how to improve our eating habits with the help of Kagawa Nutrition University, and the city of Asaka will demonstrate how aging communities living in apartment complexes can become more involved by taking part in social activities and physical exercise.
The Prefecture will do its utmost to harness the strengths of each city, and as we support these cities we will ensure that the citizens of Saitama will be informed of the process and its achievements. This project serves triple purposes—to be healthy in everyday life, to save medical costs, and to promote longer, healthier lives, and I hope that everyone will follow it with interest.
Kiyoshi Ueda